Soul Prince
by ElementalL'Cie
Summary: A darkness has risen in the Soul King's Realm, a threat that can endanger the safety of all the realms. A letter arrives on the Head Captain's desk asking for the Soul Prince to be found. But who is the Soul Prince? When was there ever one? And why would the son of the Soul King be among his own? Squad Ten Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya has an idea...but he doesn't like it.
1. Prologue: Kingdom In Need

**Edit: Cover photo made by the awesome EkkoBunny! Thank you so much!**

**This idea was given to me a long time ago and I've finally gotten around to writing it out(Thank you Ziya Hitsugaya, who gave me the idea!). This is just the prologue and the later parts of the story is still in planning but I hope it's good ^^ I started this before the new Bleach arc with the Quincies, so i'm ignoring everything that happens there in order to make this. Just act like the Quincies never showed up and such, hehe.**

**Don't own Bleach, wish I did, Enjoy!**

* * *

Amid a world unseen by even the strongest Soul Reaper, darkness held its grip. It was night there, no moon and only small twinkling stars to light the way for the shadowed figure.

The figure vanished then, before reappearing inside a large room in shadow lit only by a small dying candle. The candle lay on a cherry wood table carved with skilled hands. Beside the table was a king sized bed draped in silver sheets of silk, a red comforter underneath to keep the figure in the bed warm.

At the slight sound of the wind made as the shadowed figure arrived, the bed-ridden man opened his eyes. The candlelight reflected off eyes of sharpest blue with a swirl of emerald, eyes that saw everything. The rest of the man was either hidden by blankets or shadow.

"I've come as requested." The shadowed figure spoke softly, a woman's voice, kneeling beside the figure's bed.

"Thank you. Are the others coming?" The bed-ridden man's voice was husky and aged.

"We are." Another voice spoke, this one male, as five other figures arrived among the shadows.

The sheets rustled as their occupant lifted himself up, revealing a thin frame cloaked in black.

"It seems the situation has become dire indeed." He sighed. "I thought I would never need to ask this of you so soon."

"Ask us what?" Questioned a third voice from the six figures gathered around him.

There was a stretching silence, and one of the six shifted uneasily in place. They did not know what to expect of the man.

"This war is taking its toll on me." The man said with an air of despair. "These may just be the last missions I give you, and I hope you can accomplish them before it is too late."

"Sir, why do you speak this way?" One of the figures took a step forward.

"You know as well as I…I will not live to the end of this. My time is ending; it is time for my successor to take his place in my vacant throne."

The six figures shared glances between them, understanding what it was he was asking and not liking their circumstances one bit.

"I will leave this world and return to the cycle of souls, as the others before me have. I ask each of you to keep back the enemy for as long as you can."

The man turned to each of the six still draped in shadow.

"And this I ask of you not as your King but as a father. Find my son, and make him into the next Soul King."

Silence once more stretched between them before five of the figures vanished. One had remained, and even among the shadow, one could tell that this figure was slight of frame and young.

"Ruler of Magika," The man acknowledged the person, "I guess you did not miss my glance."

The young woman nodded stiffly, whispering something that caused the man to smile briefly.

"My task for you is separate, as you are the only one who knows what my son looks like. You will guide him, lead him to us. Your skill is necessary to help him survive so he needs to trust you."

"I shall do as you wish." The woman bowed. "Guiding from the shadows is something I do well."

"Which is why I chose you. Please, lead him here in one piece."

Instead of vanishing with Flash Step as the others had, the girl enveloped herself in a brief flash of light and vanished from the realm of the Soul King entirely.

"Now…I'm sure the Thirteen Court Guard Squads need to be informed of this." The man sighed heavily, reaching for the parchment beside his bed. "The faster my son is found…the safer Soul Society is."


	2. Searching for the Prince

Inside the Squad One barracks, its single occupant stroked his long silver beard in thought. The old man was bald with scars across his face, dark eyes closed in thought, silvery beard wrapped in purple ribbon. The white haori hung over his shoulders over his black Soul Reaper uniform. The hand not stroking his beard held tightly to the thick wooden cane.

The object causing the Head Captain, Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, to think so deeply was the open letter resting in front of him. On it was a short note and was signed with the name Soul King.

This had never happened before.

Yamamoto stood and began to slowly pace, his staff every so often clicking against the wooden floor. Never had he gotten a letter directly from the Soul King, and never had the Soul King bothered to ask anything of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.

But now he was, bypassing the orders of Central 46, whom the King had said was being informed by his Royal Guard, and the circumstances being presented before him were confusing indeed. Though the entire situation behind the orders were unknown, as far as Yamamoto could tell he was being asked to hunt down the Soul Prince himself.

When had there ever been a Soul Prince?

But when the Soul King wanted something done, they had to be done. There were no denying orders from a god.

The meeting was called and Yamamoto made his way to the meeting hall, taking his seat under the number of his Squad, the door opened by his Lieutenant so the other Captains and Lieutenants could step right inside.

"What is this about, Head Captain?" Chojiro Sasakibe, the silver haired, amber eyed Lieutenant of Squad One questioned. The man straightened out his small black mustache before also straightening the white jinbaori over his uniform.

"I shall tell you once the others arrive." Yamamoto replied, looking up as the first duo arrived. He'd only sent the message two minutes ago, and seeing as the squad to arrive was Squad Eight, one of the furthest squads from the barracks, they must have been either close by or eager to hear the information.

Squad Eight Captain Shunsui Kyoraku took his place quickly, tipping his straw hat in respect to the old man. Over his haori and uniform was a pink colored, flower covered robe. The man's curly brown hair was tied back in a ponytail, brown stubble forming along the man's jawline. His Lieutenant was a black haired woman, her hair up in a bun, with glasses over light blue-violet eyes and a slight frame.

"Captain Kyoraku, Lieutenant Ise." The Head Captain greeted.

Having already said hello, Shunsui just smiled while Nanao Ise bowed.

The other Captains and Lieutenants arrived in a steady stream after that. Once Squad Thirteen had made it, the Captain still looking a little worse for wear, the Head Captain cleared his throat to start the meeting. He sent a glare at the Squad Ten Lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto, when she continued to giggle at the Squad Eleven Captain and Lieutenant. The strawberry blonde, with her gray-blue eyes and pink scarf wrapped around her shoulders, straightened up at his gaze.

"As I reported in the Hell Butterflies, the situation we are currently facing is of top priority." He began huskily. "Just recently I have received a letter straight from the Soul King himself."

"The Soul King!" Squad Nine Lieutenant, Shuhei Hisagi, gaped. Shuhei had spiked black hair and stern gray eyes, triple scars running parallel down his face and the sleeves of his uniform cut off, with what seemed like chains wrapped around each upper arm, matching the one around his neck.

"What would the Soul King want with us?" Squad Thirteen Captain Jushiro Ukitake questioned, white hair falling into his face for a moment to cover brown eyes. His pale form was slouched as a sign of someone who was commonly sick. "Is someone else being promoted to the Royal Guard?"

"Not quite." Yamamoto silenced the unrest between the squads. "The letter states that there is a danger present in the Soul King's realm, though the situation is not properly explained, and that we are to search for a certain person that he says is here among the Soul Society."

Everyone listened with rapt attention to every word.

"We have been ordered to find the Soul Prince." Yamamoto spoke this sentence gravely.

"Soul Prince?" Questioned Squad Ten Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya, a small Captain with snow white hair and bright teal eyes, his zanpaktou on a chain at his back and a green scarf around his neck. "I've never heard of there ever being a Soul Prince."

"Neither have I." The Head Captain nodded to the young Captain. "But it is an order straight from the Soul King himself. We cannot back out. And so," he slammed the end of his staff to the floor to silence the chatter that had begun. "Under the orders of the Soul King we are to investigate into this Soul Prince, find him, and call the Royal Guard to bring him to the Soul King's Realm."

"Understood." Came multiple replies, along with a few grunts and bows.

"As for individual roles in this mission, Captain Soi Fon." He turned to a petite woman with short black hair and gray eyes, a yellow sash around her midsection and two white braids reaching down to her waist. She stood tall and faced the Head Captain. "You, the Second Squad and the Stealth Force are to search the West Rukongai."

"On it." She replied swiftly.

"Squad Three is to search the South Rukongai." This he said to a blonde haired man with purple eyes, Rojuro Otoribashi, who nodded as he was spoken to. "Squad Five the East." Another blonde haired man, this one with a straight cut and an annoyed look with brown eyes, a white scarf around his neck and vanishing into his uniform, Shinji Hirako. "And Squad Six will search the North." The Captain of that squad, Byakuya Kuchiki, nodded firmly. His black hair hung elegantly to his shoulders, onyx eyes never leaving the Head Captain. His haori had a gold lining around the edge and tassels on the haori's collar at his neck.

The four squads, Captain and Lieutenant, quickly left to begin their search.

"Squad Four and Eight will try to find any hint of the Soul Prince's whereabouts in The Great Archive."

"We'll get right to it." Shunsui nodded. He and his Lieutenant, along with the Squad Four duo, also left.

"Squad Twelve will attempt to search for this Soul Prince any way they can; keep in touch with Squads Eight and Four for research."

"Very well." Squad Twelve Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi muttered, golden teeth currently in a frown, amber eyes exploring the room. His face was painted with white and black, his hands also white though his nails were blue, one nail as long as the finger it stretched from, and there was a golden mantle on his head with blue horn-like projections curling around. He, too, left, the young Nemu Kurotsuchi following suit.

"Squads Seven, Ten, Eleven and Thirteen may spread yourselves out where you see fit." Yamamoto finished. "I myself will meet with the Central 46 for information on their end."

Three of the four Captains nodded and left with their Lieutenants, while the giant Captain Kenpachi Zaraki grumbled a bit before slowly following them out, the pink haired, red eyed girl on his shoulder giggling happily and pulling at his wild black hair to entertain herself. The man's scarred face held no emotion at the moment, one eye covered with a black eye patch.

By late afternoon the barracks of each squad were practically empty save for a seated officer or two with which to keep the place clean and organize paperwork. Word of the Soul Prince had spread like wildfire to each Squad and everyone wanted in on the action.

Squad Seven had joined with Squad Five in the east Rukongai, Squad Thirteen with Squad Two in the West. Squad Eleven spread themselves out between North and South while most of the Tenth Squad remained in the Court of Pure Souls to possibly find the Soul Prince among the Soul Reapers. Toshiro had deemed it a possibility and wanted to be careful. He left them under his Lieutenant's care and instead went to The Great Archive for his own research.

Being a prodigy, Toshiro had made note of the worry lines on Yamamoto's face, meaning even he didn't know who or what they were looking for. How were they supposed to find this person if they gave no hints as to what they looked like? Now with his curiosity peaked, Toshiro slipped into the enormous library to begin his search for the elusive Soul Prince.

A figure watched him walk by, a curious look on her face as the child passed her. She fell in step with him, determined to ask a few questions before he ventured into the area only Captains such as himself were allowed into.

Realizing he was being followed, Hitsugaya sighed and paused, turning to look over his shoulder at the figure. Teal eyes narrowed at her in question and suspicion.

Noticing the glare, the girl paused and seemed to shrink a little, making it obvious she was very shy about approaching him. Her hair was bright blonde almost silvery and braided down to her waist, part of her bangs falling in front of her left eye, which was amber colored while her right was, strangely, a grass green color. She was in a standard Soul Reaper uniform but he'd never seen her before.

"Which Squad are you from?" He questioned her, seeing as she wasn't about to speak anytime soon.

The girl blinked innocently, not seeming to register his words for a moment. He repeated the question and she bowed her head to him before pointing to her throat and shaking her head.

"You can't speak?" He turned to face her fully, looking her over once more.

"It's not that she can't speak." Another voice said, bringing the small Captain's attention to a second figure. "It's that she doesn't want to. She's a quiet person by nature."

The new person was, surprisingly, not a person but a large white cat. The cat's paws, ear tips and tail tip were light brown, the eyes bright violet. There seemed to be a mark on the cat's forehead but it was covered over by a silver headdress of some sort that dangled an emerald between the cat's eyes.

"Who are you?" Toshiro asked, doing his best to hide his surprise.

"Sofia." The cat grinned, her voice slightly high-pitched with a purr behind it. "She's Ruala Nakryin, my master."

The cat leaped onto the young girl's shoulder, rubbing her soft white fur against her cheek before turning back to the white haired Captain.

"Seeing as you can speak and she won't, answer my question." Toshiro got over his initial surprise. "Which squad are you from?"

"Well, we're new." Sofia turned to the blonde girl. "We were told to find someone."

"Oh?" Toshiro pondered what the cat had said. Could it be they didn't have a squad yet? Doubtful, and no Captain was currently in a position to take on a new subordinate.

The girl, Ruala, held a book out to him that he hadn't seen her carrying. The tome was rather thick, the pages yellowing from age. Its cover was black, but inscribed in icy blue ink on the front was ancient text that Toshiro didn't know how to read. He took the rather heavy book from the girl's hands, noticing a thick chain wrapped around it with a lock on the side. He frowned deeply as he noticed there was no keyhole to unlock it.

"What are you-?" His question was cut off as, when he looked up from the strange book, he saw no one in front of him. "Damn newcomers."

Holding the book at his side the icy Captain took a moment to rub his temple before taking off back to his office. He was sure the book was just a prank, likely set up by Yoruichi seeing as the cat did all the talking, but he wanted to make sure. It seemed like an expensive book and he wasn't about to throw it away. He'd learn its mystery later. He had more important matters to worry about, such as finding information on the Soul King and his family.

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**And so the search is on to find the mysterious Soul Prince :) Toshiro catches on quickly...too bad the newcomer is as sneaky as a cat, hehe. So, what's so important about the book, eh? Read on! Enjoy!**


	3. Books Tell All

Deeper into The Great Archive, various members of Squad Four and Eight were scattered, searching for the slightest hint as to where they could find the Soul Prince. Squad Four Captain Retsu Unohana theorized that perhaps the prince was hidden away in a special place, in which case they would need to know how to get there and break him out. Agreeing with her, Shunsui had his squad look for something similar. They covered every available area, the two Captains and Lieutenants venturing into the restricted area for high level information.

Retsu, a short woman with black hair braided in front of her and gray-blue eyes scanning the different texts, found a tome that grabbed her interest. It was a dark brown book about the history of the Soul Society. She thought perhaps there might be something pertaining to the Soul King in there. Taking it from the shelf she quickly scanned through its pages.

Three-quarters of the way through she stopped her shuffling, eyes catching an interesting detail among the black words.

"…_It is known the Soul King's very existence keeps the Soul Society from ruin, but he does eventually reach a point where he must step down, and his successor must take his place. The successor is usually chosen randomly from among the Royal Families, but in rare cases the Soul King may have a blood related successor…_" The healer read aloud. "So, it is possible to have a Soul Prince."

She continued the passage but nothing more was said on the matter, and the little else there was about the Soul King she already knew, such as the fact that he resided in the Soul King's Realm and didn't interfere with the affairs of the Soul Society. Slightly disappointed, Retsu returned the book and continued searching.

Her partner, Shunsui, wasn't having her luck and found useless book after useless book. There was nothing he could find that would give him even the slightest knowledge about the Soul King.

"There must be something I'm missing…" He grumbled. Nanao glanced at him before continuing her reading. Since she read books often, the girl could speed through three books at the same time her Captain had finished skimming one. "Okay, I'll try something else."

"And what would that be?"

"Obviously we can't find our little prince friend if we don't know anything about his daddy, so I'm going to learn more about our mysterious Soul King."

Nanao sighed.

"That's a good idea, Captain, but I doubt there's anything in here that would tell us about the Soul King himself and not just what he symbolized."

"Worth a shot, though."

Simply nodding, Nanao switched her target of search and continued reading. She also tried to remember if she had seen anything about the Soul King in the other books. After making sure she hadn't, she grabbed the next book and moved on.

Similar events of finding nothing continued in the Squad Twelve Department of Research and Development building, much to Mayuri's anger, and for the squads spread out in the Rukongai as well. In the west, Soi Fon was having each male spirit examined, both physically and spiritually, for any indication of being the Soul Prince. But she regrettably acknowledged that without proper background on their elusive prey she had no way of knowing if these frightened souls could be the hidden prince. In the Court of Pure Souls, the Squad Ten members weren't faring any better.

As for the Head Captain, he currently stood in the center of the Central 46 chambers. The members looked at him with mixed faces of suspicion, concern and shock. They had recently been contacted by two members of the Royal Guard, face to face, and told of the current orders to locate the Soul Prince. So, when Yamamoto arrived asking for information, they had no need to hold back anything.

"To be honest, Captain Yamamoto, we've never heard of the Soul Prince." One voice spoke up.

"I know that all of you are fairly new to the council," Yamamoto said huskily, "but to be initiated into the Central 46 you had to have been given top secret information about the Soul King's Realm. If we are to find the prince we need that information."

"We understand that, Head Captain, but it will take time for us to locate such information. We have not been able to search through the files thoroughly since our enlistment."

"Then I ask you hurry. I was given this mission by the Soul King himself while you were only recently informed by the Royal Guard."

"Don't think that means you can take charge, Yamamoto." A voice growled.

"If what you say is true, then perhaps the Soul King believes his son is hidden among your precious squads." Another practically sneered.

A hush fell over them as many of the members thought those words through.

"Actually," the one who sneered spoke, this time serious, "that may just be a possibility. If the Soul King truly contacted you before he sent his guard to us, then perhaps that is what he believes."

"We cannot jump to such a sudden decision." Another voice argued.

"Perhaps not, but it's a valid statement." The one who spoke that time turned back to the Soul Reaper in their midst. "I suggest you start your search with your own guard and see if you can't locate him among your ranks."

"Very well, I shall call back the squads."

"Yamamoto, its best you bring one squad at a time so the others can continue their work searching, in case they happen to find the prince elsewhere."

"I'll keep that in mind."

The aging Soul Reaper turned and left the chambers, hearing the many spirits begin to chatter amongst themselves about their situation. As he made his way back to his office, he thought about which squads were closest to begin his examination. Squad Twelve was nearby in their building, Squads Four and Eight also nearby, and he remembered Toshiro telling his squad to search throughout the Court of Pure Souls, meaning the prodigy had already thought of searching the Soul Reapers themselves as possible candidates.

Sighing, the Head Captain decided he needed to know more about what he was looking for before starting the search. He could only hope that someone had found something to give them a start.

In the Squad Ten barracks, Toshiro sat at his desk, the book he'd gotten from the newcomer sitting in front of him. Teal eyes glared at the offending object.

After he'd returned and set the book down, Toshiro saw the words shift. The ancient words were now in a different language, some kind of ancient calligraphy. It seemed faintly Egyptian but had characteristics of various Asian languages. All in all, he had no idea what it meant. But he also knew that the words could change and he was determined to figure out how so as to change it to Japanese.

And the lock…even if he could read the title how was he supposed to get anything out of it if he couldn't open it? As time went on and his frustration increased, the room began to grow colder. By the time Rangiku returned to see where her Captain had run off to the place was coated in frost.

"Hm, I'll come back later." The blonde started to walk away.

"Wait, Matsumoto." Toshiro called out, reigning in his Spiritual Pressure to let the room return to normal. "What do you need?"

"You never came back from the archive so I came here to see if you left any hints about where you went. Instead I find you in here and the room is frozen." She shivered, slightly pulling up her uniform from its revealing style to try and keep warm.

"I didn't come back because I found this." Toshiro pointed accusingly at the black book. "Or rather, a new recruit handed it to me."

"New recruit? Now?" Rangiku stepped inside and towards her Captain's desk to see what book he was talking about. "I don't remember the Academy sending anyone over with passing marks, and the semester isn't anywhere near over anyway."

"She probably finished early, that's not uncommon." Toshiro waved off the issue of the newcomer quickly. "Do you know what this says?"

Peering curiously at the icy blue letters, or symbols, Rangiku quickly shook her head. Sighing, Toshiro glared at the book once more before standing.

"I'm going to see Kurotsuchi. Perhaps he'll find a way to translate it." He reached for the book only to see the letters shift again. Now they were in some form of Hebrew, still far from the language he wanted and infuriating him still.

"Whoa, a book that changes languages." Rangiku snatched the book from the desk. "Wonder how you did that."

"I don't know, it's done that twice." Toshiro grumbled, snatching the book from her hands.

"Oh, look. There's something on the back." The Lieutenant pointed out, eyes lighting up at her discovery.

Hitsugaya flipped it over, frustrated with not thinking to look on the back. The language there was an ancient form of Japanese, but it was at least one he could read.

"_The hand of royals is the key, the power of spirits is the sight._" Toshiro read. His brow furrowed as he thought about what that could possibly mean. "It's just a riddle, Ma-"

When he didn't finish his sentence, Rangiku looked at him worriedly. He was completely focused on the second line of icy text, seemingly playing the words over in his head.

"Captain?" She leaned forward slightly to wave her hand in front of him for a reaction. He looked up and glared at her for the interruption before returning to his seat and setting the book back down.

Rangiku watched as Toshiro placed his hand over the front of the book, blinking when he let his Spiritual Pressure flare for the briefest of seconds.

The icy words changed.

"The power of spirits is the sight…" Toshiro muttered. "It meant Spiritual Pressure. Every time it changed I had been letting out mine unknowingly, so it also changed unknowingly. The one it was before probably wasn't even a language. If I intentionally focus it the message is clear."

Grinning at her Captain's genius, Rangiku looked at the now clearly Japanese title. They read it together…and froze in shock.

The title read _Secrets of the Soul King_.

* * *

**So the book of secrets is found! Everyone's looking hard for that darn Soul Prince...though most of you readers probably already know who he is. I give too many hints Enjoy!**


	4. Prophetic Encounter

Mayuri was in a frightful state of anger. So far the infuriating healer had found more information in the books than he had in his entire collection of data files and history storages. In fact there wasn't a single thing about the Soul King or his Royal Guard anywhere in his technical archives.

So when his other most hated Captain, the child prodigy Hitsugaya, came rushing into his laboratory demanding his attention he felt it was in his right to snap at him.

"I don't have time for children's games, Hitsugaya! As you can see I'm actually trying to find info-what's that?"

"I thought you weren't interested." Toshiro snarled, brow twitching at what the mad scientist had said. In his hands with the title facing Mayuri was the black tome he had recently deciphered. "The title kept switching languages so it took time to decipher, but now the problem is the lock."

Still a little furious, Toshiro slammed the book down in front of Mayuri and turned it so the lock faced him. The fact that it had no keyhole was quickly noted by the scientist and his mind set to work.

"Have you tried breaking the chain?" Kurotsuchi questioned, eyes fixed onto the book.

"Yes."

"Melting it?"

"Yes."

"Kido?"

"Let's just say there's no way to break, melt, vaporize or destroy the lock and chain in any way. And, apparently, there's also no way to unlock it." He flipped it over. "Read this."

Taking in the two short lines on the back, Mayuri quickly snatched the book away to examine it closer. The words did indeed change when Spiritual Pressure was applied, as the second line provided, but the first line was troublesome in its obviousness.

"If the first line is to be taken as literally as the second line, then we need someone of royal blood to open the lock. Perhaps someone from the noble family will work." Kurotsuchi surmised. "Have that annoying Kuchiki man come here."

"He's out in the North Rukongai, it could take hours to find him." Toshiro warned.

"I don't care just get him here!" Mayuri snapped, starting to walk away with the book.

For some reason, seeing the scientist walk away with the book set Toshiro on edge. Perhaps it was because the stranger had entrusted him with the strange tome and having one of the few Captains he hated taking it rubbed him the wrong way.

"I'll take it with me, that way Kuchiki doesn't have to leave his post." Toshiro Flash Stepped in front of Mayuri and held a hand out for the book.

The scientist scowled. But, after thinking it through, he decided he didn't want to risk the Head Captain's anger for taking the Squad Six Captain off duty and reluctantly handed the fascinating book over to the ice Captain. Toshiro quickly vanished.

Flitting over the rooftops, book in hand, Toshiro let his mind wander back to the stranger who had given him the book. Perhaps whoever her commanding officer was had ordered her to find someone capable of opening it. Why, then, had she chosen him? Kurotsuchi would have been a wise choice. Then again, there probably wouldn't have been a book left when he was finished trying to open it. And the cat…he was sure there was something off about that cat. Seeing as she spoke she must have been similar to Yoruichi, meaning she had a human form. Just who were they?

He shook the thoughts from his mind as he reached the North Rukongai. Since everything within the Soul Society was made of Spirit Particles, he couldn't use Spirit Ribbons to track the noble down. Frustrating.

A Squad Six member was about to run past him.

"You there!" He called out, watching the man freeze at the commanding voice and whip around.

"C-Captain Hitsugaya! Something you need?" The Soul Reaper bowed twice to the small Captain.

"Where is Captain Kuchiki, I need to speak with him."

"Last I heard, he was with Lieutenant Abarai in District Twenty-One. They're speaking to a village elder to see if there were any suspicious people found in theirs and surrounding districts."

"I see, thank you." Nodding to the man, Toshiro Flash Stepped in the direction of the said district. Once close enough he'd be able to locate Byakuya easy enough and figure out whether or not the damned book could be opened.

At one point he paused among the forests in the Fourteenth District, having sensed a strange energy hiding in the trees. Unlike normal Spiritual Pressure, which always attempted to push down outside spirits, this one felt…comforting. It called to him in a friendly way, making his muscles loosen out of their battle-ready position.

"What a strange place to meet again." A familiar purring voice called.

Teal eyes latched onto the white feline sauntering over to him, her master only steps behind and still looking nervous. Only now she was in a plain green kimono with golden flowers along the hem and sleeves.

"Aren't you a Soul Reaper?" Toshiro questioned them both.

"Never said we were." Sofia giggled, leaping onto a nearby boulder with grace even Yoruichi didn't possess. Despite having walked through the forest, the cat's fur remained a shining white and looked softer than the down of a newborn chick. Toshiro had a strong urge to pet the cat, to see if it was as soft as it looked. "We may not speak the whole truth, but we don't lie. Ruala especially, though she doesn't talk much at all."

"You infiltrated the Seireitei? How?" On guard now, Toshiro turned from the cat and to Ruala.

"Not infiltrated, simply scouted. We never lied to you." Sofia began to lick her paws. "Come on now Ruala, you can speak now. You're in your element."

"What do you mean?"

"My master likes the outdoors way better than the villages and buildings, and she doesn't like people. Most of her friends are animals."

Ruala blushed slightly in embarrassment and half turned away from Toshiro.

"I see you still have the book." Sofia's voice had grown serious. "I thought you would have opened it by now."

"I can't, the lock prevents it." Toshiro snapped at the cat. "The writing on the back says it needs someone of royal lineage to open it."

"That it does…" With no sound the cat leaped off the rock and towards the icy Captain. "We'll leave you to it then. Ruala entrusted you with that sacred book knowing you would be the one to understand it."

"What?" Toshiro looked between cat and girl, wondering what they could possibly mean. Sure, he was a prodigy, but there were a lot better candidates than him in figuring out how to open an impossible to unlock book.

"Wisdom prefers the color teal to see…" Ruala whispered, the first thing she had ever said since Toshiro had first met her.

"What does that mean?" Toshiro took a step towards her, only causing the shy girl to back away from the sharp movement.

"Listen well, Toshiro Hitsugaya." Sofia spoke mysteriously. "When Ruala speaks with the Gold Eye, her words hold a thousand meanings."

Head spinning ever faster the more they spoke, Toshiro looked back up at Ruala, shocked to see that Ruala's once amber colored eyes was now bright gleaming gold, the black pupil a stark contrast and looking almost alien.

"…the pride of rulers is marked by white."

"You've been given a hint. Take it to heart and learn from it. You may just find your answer close to home." The sleek white cat went behind the boulder and vanished.

Ruala's eyes returned to normal and she seemed to awake from a stupor, turning away and walking back into the forest.

"Wait! I don't understand, who are you people?" He called after her.

The girl turned, looking upon him with her eye of green. The sadness and wisdom in that one look made Toshiro freeze in place, unable to look away. Then, she went behind a tree, and the calming pressure he had felt in her presence vanished. They had left.

He had to be seeing things.

Taking a moment to recollect himself after that strange encounter, Toshiro thought about what the girl had said. It had to be something that would help him open the book, since that was what he needed. However, the cat had said that under the Gold Eye, whatever that was, her words held a thousand meanings. Could the two lines be related to something else?

He flipped the book in his hands to the back. The words were two short lines. Ruala's tiny monologue had been two short lines. Could they be related? Had Ruala left the words on the back for him? Then perhaps they were more literal than the cat suggested. Or maybe the words on the back were alluding to some other meaning. Sure, the second line had helped him reveal how to decipher the title, but maybe there was something else it was meant to portray.

All those thoughts were beginning to give him a headache. He decided to stick with his current plan and rushed off to find Byakuya.

The noble was currently alone, standing on the roof of a vacant house so as to see the surrounding area. He had not gotten anything from the village elder, or rather, the elder reported honestly that there were no strange beings lurking around.

The whoosh of air brought his attention to the white haired youth who had appeared, panting from his long trip. Byakuya's sharp eyes took notice to the black bound book in Hitsugaya's arms.

Quickly explaining his and Mayuri's theory on how to open it, to which he even showed the back inscription, Toshiro handed the book over. Byakuya seemed very interested and was willing to give it a try. After all, this was the first hopeful news since the mission had started, and night was quickly falling around them. They would soon have to return most of their men to the barracks.

Lifting the book onto its side to reveal the keyhole-less lock, Byakuya placed his hand over it and let his Spiritual Pressure rise. Both he and Toshiro waited with baited breaths to see what would happen. The lock took in a tiny bit of the noble's Spiritual Pressure and their hopes rose.

Instead of opening, the lock used the energy it had consumed to instead create another strand of chain around what it was keeping closed and both Soul Reapers scowled.

"It seems the blood of a noble is not what it meant." Byakuya handed Toshiro the book once more.

"You mean the blood of the Royal Family?" Hitsugaya's eyes widened. "But we'd have to go to them in the Soul King's Realm, or find the Soul Prince."

"And our only clue to possibly finding the Soul Prince is in that book." Byakuya sighed heavily. "Where exactly did you find that book?"

Toshiro hesitated, unsure whether he would be believed or not. After all, the girl who gave it to him had just recently spouted some kind of prophecy before vanishing into thin air. Still, he needed all the help he could get at this point and they were all working towards the same goal. He gave the story in brief, watching for any sign of disbelief. The noble's face remained neutral throughout, only changing at the end as he closed his eyes in thought.

"I have never heard of Nakryin before." He mused. "She can't be of a noble family. Perhaps it is best you find out who she is, she may know something."

"I'm not sure; she's doing her best to remain hidden. She only appears when I'm alone."

"Then be alone and interrogate her. At this point you may not have many options left."

Narrowing his eyes at the sharp tone in Byakuya's voice, Toshiro left. He had a lot to think about and he needed to round up his squad anyway, and to pick the members who would be taking the first night shift.

* * *

**You'd think it would be obvious after Ruala's hint...then again, Sofia doesn't help any with her confusing words. I got a headache just writing his thoughts about that out. So the mystery continues and the Soul Prince remains hidden. Enjoy!**


	5. Mark of the King

With the night shift of each squad stationed, things began to settle down from the first panic that had come with the surprise of orders straight from the Soul King. After hearing that the Head Captain had returned, Toshiro left Rangiku in charge of the office, albeit reluctantly, and headed off to the Squad One barracks with the book tucked under his arm.

Halfway there he decided to take a detour, taking himself to a secluded area where no one would stumble upon him. He hoped the girl would reappear for him to question. While waiting, he set the book on his lap. There were three chains wrapped tightly over the book's black cover, and the icy title stared up at him almost mockingly. It had so many answers, but to get to them they needed the very person that they needed the book to find. It was all just one big circle.

Toshiro yawned, finding he was far more tired than he first thought. Laying his head back on the hard stone of the pillar he sat against he took a moment to rest his eyes, hoping the girl and her cat would show up soon.

Something flashed and his hand felt like it was on fire. Letting out a startled yelp Toshiro dropped the book from his lap and held the hand that had been burned, his sword hand. When he checked for any damage, there was none, and the only indication left was a small tickle in his palm. Once sure he was unharmed the Squad Ten Captain searched for whoever had caused him such a sudden pain.

Teal eyes darted down to the book he had dropped. The lock had vanished, the three chains limp on the ground and slowly melting into the stone floor. The icy words had a strange glow to them they previously didn't possess unless switching languages.

He had access to the book now.

Eager for the information hidden inside, Toshiro snatched the book back and carefully opened it, noticing the letters inside were a similar icy color to the title and message on the back, and that they were a different language. Placing his hand over the page as he had done with the title, Toshiro quickly switched it to Japanese and began to read. He had to make sure it was the information he was looking for, after all.

"…_Concerning the Soul Society, the Soul King is simply a symbol; to them he is just a being that holds their world together. The Soul King is much more, for he rules the Royal Family and its guard just as the Central 46 rules the Soul Reapers, only he does it alone. Each Soul King brings a new age to the realm, Soul Society, and the World of the Living. Each succession is marked by a great change in all realms, whether it be war or an imbalance in the cycle of souls…_"

It was definitely what they needed, the possible answer to finding the elusive Soul Prince. That much was clear as he read on through what seemed like the prologue to the gritty details of what the Soul King was and his duties in the Soul King's Realm. Toshiro's rising question at the moment, however, was why it suddenly opened for him.

His thoughts turned to the mysterious girl and her cat. Could it have been them? Were they members of the Royal Family? Perhaps they had opened it and then woke him with whatever that burning sensation on his hand was.

Closing the book with a sharp snap the icy Captain stood and rushed off to the Squad One barracks. The Head Captain needed to see what was inside.

Yamamoto looked up as his doors were hastily pushed open, raising an eyebrow when he saw an out of breath Toshiro Flash Step straight to his desk. Both eyebrows raised as the child Captain placed a heavy black book in front of him.

"I've found something." Was all he said.

Curious, Yamamoto grabbed the book from Toshiro and pulled it closer, having to flip it around to read the title right side up. His eyes opened wide once he read it.

"Where did you find such a book?" The Head Captain demanded.

Toshiro retold the encounter with Ruala and Sofia in The Great Archive.

"Ruala Nakryin? No such name has ever been recorded into the squad files."

"I don't think she was a Soul Reaper." Toshiro said, and then told of his second encounter with her in the North Rukongai. "I don't know exactly who she is, but she knows something. And I think she's the one who managed to unlock it."

"A member of the Royal Family, perhaps?"

"That's what I thought, but then…what would she be doing here?"

The two of them took a moment to think. Members of the Royal Family never left the Soul King's Realm, so to have one hiding among them, not to mention helping them find the Soul Prince, was unheard of.

"Her only motive would be that she wants the Soul Prince found as well." Yamamoto mused aloud. "However, her reason for singling you out is unknown."

Toshiro shrugged; he didn't understand why either.

"I have spoken to Central 46; it is assumed that the Soul King believes his son to be among our own squads. I plan on bringing each squad in to examine. The information provided in this book may help us find the prince faster." As he said this, Yamamoto flipped through the pages. The book seemed to go in depth on the life a Soul King lead, some of the duties among them throwing the Head Captain for a loop. How was he supposed to know that it was the Soul King's duty to remain in contact with the King of Hell?

But the treaty between these two kings was unimportant for finding the Soul Prince, so Yamamoto flipped past it to a section he thought might shed some light. Toshiro still stood in front of his desk, reading upside down, and waited for any further orders.

"Hm…" Yamamoto had paused on a certain page with an intricately drawn picture. "This seems useful. Look here."

For Toshiro's sake, Yamamoto turned the book around and allowed the ice Captain to read the passage next to the picture. The picture itself was a four pointed star with a hole in the middle, the kanji symbol for king inside. On each of the four body points was a symbol as well. For the north prong, it was the kanji for tranquility, for the east it was eternity, south was honor and west was power.

The passage stated that the Soul King was given this mark on their dominant hand when they became the Soul King, though it started as a simple four pointed star, as each generation had to prove they would be next on the throne. Once passed, the symbol in the center would appear and the mark would become permanent.

For those who were the heir to the throne by blood, or as the son of the Soul King, the mark would already be branded into them yet invisible. It only made its appearance when it was time for them to take their father's place, where it would become a translucent ice blue color when the being it marked was using their power. They would then take the same trials as any other Soul King to be for the throne, the difference being that they could not step down nor give up the throne unless they were dying. That meant if the Soul Prince didn't become the Soul King before their father died, the Soul King's Realm and the Soul Society would fall apart.

The part about not finding the Soul Prince in time caused Toshiro to frown.

"At least we have something to go off of." Toshiro sighed. "We just need to find someone with this mark on their hand."

"They have to be using their Spirit Energy." Yamamoto reminded. "This leaves out nearly all of the Rukongai denizens. This prince may very well be among our ranks. If so, there's a chance they have no idea who they are."

"We'll need to test every male Soul Reaper to see if the mark appears." Toshiro, on some hidden instinct, grabbed the book before turning to leave.

"Please leave that here, Captain Hitsugaya." Yamamoto spoke up. "There may be more information inside that will give us a clearer goal. Have your squad return, I'll be sending out the same order to the others."

Normally Toshiro would have bowed in respect and handed the book back, but for some reason he didn't want to leave the book alone with another person. It was the same feeling he'd had when Mayuri had been walking away with it, though at the time he'd thought it was just caution that lead him to take it back.

The Head Captain took note of his hesitation and let his Spiritual Pressure rise. He only needed a little for someone like Hitsugaya, as the young Captain was more in tune to the rising heat due to his ice-type zanpaktou. Wincing from the now stuffy temperature of the room, Toshiro got the message and reluctantly set the book down before leaving in a hurry.

Once he was a good distance from the barracks, the unease at leaving the book lifted and he let out an unknown pent up breath. Now he just needed to round up his squad and wait for further orders. With the book in Yamamoto's hands they would surely find the Soul Prince quickly.

Back in Yamamoto's office, the aging Soul Reaper currently found himself in a fix. Not a whole minute since Toshiro had left did the book snap shut when he attempted to open it and chain itself closed once more, the keyhole-less lock in place and preventing him from taking any sort of information. What's more, the soft glow of the icy letters had vanished, making the book seem a simple black tome of no importance.

He was tempted to call Toshiro back to see if it was his presence that had kept it going. The words did seem to match the color of his Spiritual Pressure. Perhaps it was because the girl, a possible member of the Royal Family, who had given it to him had made sure only he could read it. It seems the girl only trusted the young Captain with the ancient tome.

But, Toshiro needed to gather his squad, and he needed to call back the others. He would solve this puzzle tomorrow, after he found an excuse for why he wanted Toshiro to study the book instead of himself. Perhaps he could say he needed to focus on testing the Soul Reapers and so wanted Toshiro to study the text. Yes, that would work.

Calling eleven Hell Butterflies to him, the Head Captain recorded the recall message and sent them off to each Captain not already informed, which was everyone besides Toshiro.

In the shadows, a pair of violet eyes watched him.

* * *

**So this new information might throw him for a loop despite Ruala's help, but he's getting closer to the truth. All that needs to happen is for the Soul Prince to let his power rise just a little and then he'll see pretty quickly. Enjoy!**


	6. Revelation

The night had been stressful, that was certain. Toshiro had had a hard time finding his Lieutenant, who ended up being hidden in his own barracks with Lieutenants Izuru Kira and Shuhei Hisagi, drinking. Once that event was over, he'd managed to round up his squad and had them all call it a night so he could get some sleep of his own.

The morning wasn't much better, since Rangiku had a hangover. Falling into routine, Toshiro unceremoniously pushed her off the couch she was sleeping on to wake her up and then demanded she start on paperwork while she whined away. Though, he at least offered her a hangover cure: he could douse her in ice. She quickly set to work.

When he moved to his own desk, however, he noticed something immediately that set him on edge.

The black book was on his desk.

"Matsumoto, did you take this?" Toshiro questioned, lifting the book for her to see.

"That was there when I got up in the middle of the night for a bathroom break." She replied. "I know you took it to the Head Captain, I just thought you went to get it back."

"Well…I didn't." Now confused, Toshiro looked closely at the book. It was still unlocked and the words still shone up at him with its icy hue. The only problem was it was supposed to be with the Head Captain. "He must have had someone drop it off, though I'll have to ask him why."

"Can I come with?" Rangiku perked up, eager to escape her workload.

"No." He replied instantly. "That pile better be gone when I come back."

"But Captain!" Her whining tone didn't reach Toshiro's ears as he Flash Stepped away. "Honestly, he never seems to loosen up."

Speeding through the Court of Pure Souls, Toshiro once more made his way back to the Squad One barracks. Along the way a Hell Butterfly greeted him, so he paused upon a rooftop to receive its message, shifting the book under his arm and holding his hand out for the insect.

'_This is a message to all Captains. A Captains meeting is to be held in five minutes to discuss a new strategy for locating the Soul Prince, please make haste_.' Its message delivered, the butterfly took its leave and vanished into the wind.

"Glad I was already heading there." Toshiro muttered, taking off once more. He wanted to get there before the others to ask why the Head Captain had returned the book to him.

Fortunately, he made it to the barracks three minutes early, so only the Head Captain awaited him in the meeting hall. At his arrival the old man lifted his gaze to him.

"I was right, you did have it." He said, glancing at the black tome and noticing that the chains were gone again, the words once more aglow.

"What do you mean?" Toshiro raised a white eyebrow. "I found it on my desk this morning; I thought perhaps you had sent someone to drop it off."

"I did not, but if what you say is true, then we have a cause for worry. That book vanished from my desk last night as I left to check up on some things."

Toshiro quickly thought of any possibilities that would lead to their current situation.

"Could it have been Nakryin?" The ice Captain started walking towards where the Head Captain stood.

"Perhaps. It seems she also reopened it."

"Reopened?" Now standing in front of the old man, Toshiro once more paused in confusion. "Wasn't it already open?"

"It closed and chained itself shortly after you left. I believe this mysterious girl you've been seeing is responsible; she seems to have entrusted you and only you with that book. Once it left your hands it shut out any others."

"Strange…"

"If she truly is a Royal Family member, I cannot refuse her apparent wishes. You will keep that book with you and report to me the information you find." He paused as the Squad Two Captain made her appearance. "I shall speak to you about this later."

Toshiro bowed respectfully and took his place as they waited for the other Captains, Mayuri and Shunsui arriving just as he did so.

The others soon arrived and watched the Head Captain expectantly, some taking glances at the ancient book in Toshiro's hands. Mayuri and Byakuya seemed the most interested, as they were both in on trying to open it, and now it was open. They had questions for the young Captain but knew not to speak out of turn at the start of a meeting. The scientist had the hardest time containing his curiosity.

"Captain Hitsugaya, if you would explain your findings." The Head Captain started by immediately putting the spotlight on Toshiro.

Sighing heavily, Toshiro stepped out of line and up next to the aging Soul Reaper, holding up the book for all to see. While doing so he explained how Ruala had found him in The Great Archive and given it to him, as well as his discoveries along the way and his belief that she might have been a member of the Royal Family, which is why the book was open.

"What would a member of the Royal Family be doing in the Soul Society?" Shinji scratched his head.

"I still haven't figured that out, she hasn't shown up again." Toshiro replied. "But that's not the important part."

It was difficult to hold the book with one hand as he flipped through its pages, due to it being so big, but he managed and found what he was looking for.

"We're looking for a person with this mark." He explained, twisting the book around so the others could see the icy colored mark. "The passage explains that, for now, the mark will be slightly translucent and only in the star shape, no symbols. Also, it will only appear when the Soul Prince is using his powers."

"So the Rukongai denizens are out." Captain Unohana mused aloud. "Which means he must be a Soul Reaper?"

"Precisely." Yamamoto agreed. "It also means he has no idea who he is. We'll be testing every male candidate from each squad. For the sake of being orderly we'll start with my own squad and count up through the squads."

"What will the rest of us do while we wait?" Jushiro asked.

"Head Captain, wouldn't it be wise if each Captain tested the members of their own squad?" Soi Fon piped up. "We don't know how much time we have, it's best we get through these tests as quickly as possible."

Yamamoto mulled this over for a moment. Each squad did have their own training grounds, but they also had a multitude of Soul Reapers and there wasn't enough room. However, it was a far better method than his original idea.

"Very well, Soi Fon, we shall stick to that plan." He turned to the other Captains, Toshiro returning to his spot quickly as his part was done. "Each Captain will return to their squads and begin the tests. I expect a report from each of you by this afternoon with a list of those tested. Do not forget to test yourselves." For this he gazed between the male Captains. "Dismissed!"

Twelve forms left through the doors before vanishing to their squads, Toshiro remaining behind when the Head Captain had given him a silent signal to remain.

"Though you will be tested, I have a separate mission for you. Since you seem to be the only one allowed to read that book, I want you to glean as much information as you can about the Soul Prince from it and send in what you find. I also want you to report to me if that Nakryin girl returns."

"Understood." Toshiro bowed out and left to his squad barracks. He had a lot of work to do.

Remembering that Rangiku was supposed to be doing paperwork, he masked his Spiritual Pressure and entered the barracks quietly, knowing the only way to see if she was really working was to sneak inside. Her Spiritual Pressure signal was at least in the office, but that didn't mean she was working.

Silently sliding the door open, Toshiro peeked in to see Rangiku lazily writing on one of the thin sheets of paper. The pile was a quarter of the way done, which, considering Rangiku, was quite the achievement.

"Matsumoto." He spoke, smirking slightly as she jumped a foot off her chair with a startled squeak.

"Captain! Why did you sneak up on me like that!?" She huffed at him, putting her ruffled papers back in order.

"To make sure you were working. I wanted that whole pile done." Sidestepping her desk he quickly went to his own and set the book down. "But it looks like you get off easy today."

"Oh, what's the occasion?" Rangiku knew Toshiro wasn't one to let up on her.

"Gather the squad; we have a lot of work to do." At her inquiring look, he explained what they were to do in brief.

"Right, I'll have all the guys gather in the training ground. The girls can help me with the testing."

"Be quick, I'll join you shortly." Toshiro took his seat and flipped through the pages of Secrets of the Soul King, starting at the passage about the mark. It was going to be a long day.

Nodding to her Captain, Rangiku took her leave and immediately set to work spreading the word around for everyone to meet in the Squad Ten training arena. The seated officers sped off and rounded up the unseated Soul Reapers in their squad as well to assist. Similar events were happening within each squad, and Soi Fon was even rounding up her Stealth Force members to be absolutely sure the Soul Prince wasn't there, doubling her work load. Every Soul Reaper was accounted for.

Until the Head Captain remembered there was another Soul Reaper, a substitute, as well as their former Captains Kisuke Urahara. Though he doubted the Soul Prince could be a human with immense Spirit Energy, it was best to be absolutely certain. He sent a Hell Butterfly to summon the teen and ex-Captain and waited. Hopefully Ichigo Kurosaki wouldn't be too terribly busy with his college life and would arrive shortly. It had been three years since he regained his powers and the human-turned-Soul Reaper was finally settling into both lives; that of his normal one and that of his role as a Soul Reaper.

He turned to the windows as the Spiritual Pressure of several Soul Reapers rose in various directions, meaning the tests had started. He wondered what else would be hidden away in the icy text of the book currently in Toshiro's hands.

Said Captain was reading rapidly through the information, completely absorbed in the book. After the initial information about the Soul King and his duties, as well as the details of the Soul King's Realm, through which Toshiro had passed over, he found that there were records of each Soul King dating back even before the Thirteen Court Guard Squads was established and when humans were still in the Dark Ages and living like savages. To match with the times, the first Soul King looked like an intelligent caveman of all things.

As he skimmed through each profile, Toshiro noticed with interest that every Soul King had hair that was a variation of white; whether it be gray, silver or platinum blonde to the point of white. Perhaps that could be helpful, it would definitely narrow down the numbers. He didn't know everyone in his squad save for his seated officers and Lieutenant, but he had seen other people with gray, silver or bright blonde hair, and a few with hair nearly as white as his own. That also meant he was still a candidate, which he didn't like. He didn't really envy the position of Soul King.

"…the pride of rulers is marked by white." Toshiro whispered, remembering something Ruala had said before.

Using a discarded envelope as a temporary bookmark, Toshiro closed the book to once more view the two short lines on the back. He grabbed a blank sheet of paper and quickly wrote them down. He then wrote down the two lines Ruala had said to him in the forest.

"The hand of royals is the key, the power of spirits is the sight. Wisdom prefers the color teal to see, the pride of rulers is marked by white." He read aloud. "They rhyme…what does it all mean?"

He opened the book and searched through the profiles. They all had white, or semi-white, hair color to match the 'marked by white' part of the rhyme. As for teal…no, the several pictures of Soul Kings that were colored showed various colors, not teal. Then again it said wisdom preferred teal, not that it was. There were two or three Soul Kings with teal eyes, or colors close to teal, and they were considered 'wise men'.

He decided to leave out the teal for now and sent a message via butterfly to Rangiku about the hair color.

Out of curiosity, Toshiro flipped to the most recent entry, the one about their current Soul King. The pages were still fairly fresh, but there was no picture. It did, however, make note of his most recent major achievement.

The enlistment of a powerful being, not quite a Soul Reaper but as strong as one, by the name of Ruala Nakryin.

Toshiro slammed the book shut, startled. The girl who had been hiding in the shadows and giving him hints was a member of the Royal Guard? It was one thing for her to be a member of the Royal Family, but to be one of the immensely powerful guardians of the Soul King and be sneaking around the Soul Society was impossible. And she wasn't a Soul Reaper. Only Soul Reapers who had made some kind of huge impact on the Soul Society were allowed into the Royal Guard, usually Captains. If her enlistment was recent and none of the other Captains had heard of her then she truly had never been a Soul Reaper.

But then what was she?

Better yet, what did she want with him?

* * *

**Eureka! He figured it out! A lot of you are probably like "About damn time, Shiro-chan!" XD So it finally clicked with him that he's the Soul Prince and now things get interesting. Enjoy!**


	7. Danger in Shadows

Rangiku stared curiously after the butterfly as it flew off to send its message to the others Captains as the Lieutenant had ordered.

"White hair or something close…well, that really narrows it down then. After all, if the recent Soul King has white hair, it makes sense his son would have something similar…" She turned to the testers standing around her with expectant gazes. "New discovery! I know this will sound weird, but we need all the male Soul Reapers in our squad who have white, gray, silver or blonde hair!"

"Are you sure, Matsumoto?" The Eleventh Seat asked.

"Yes I'm sure." The Lieutenant snapped. "My Captain has access to records of the past Soul Kings in a book he found not long ago, and our current Soul King has white hair."

"The Captain has white hair, why isn't he here?" The Eighth Seat crossed her arms.

"He's researching and will come by later." Rangiku pointed at the woman accusingly. "Now come on, we have a lot of guys to look through. Get moving!"

She paused, turning back towards the barracks with a questioning expression.

"Something wrong, Lieutenant?" One of the girls looked back to see her staring off.

"No, I just thought I sensed Captain Hitsugaya's Spiritual Pressure." She turned back to the others, her smile planted firmly on her face once more. "Now, let's examine some men!"

"That sounds weird, Lieutenant…"

As the butterfly spread its message around, several Captains sighed in relief, glad to lower the numbers of people who needed to be tested. However, one Captain found his stress levels rising.

Toshiro left the Court of Pure Souls and fled into the outskirts of the Rukongai, the book still tucked under his arm. He'd wanted to leave it, but he had grabbed it almost by instinct and now was holding tightly to it as he vanished into the forests where no one would find him, not quickly anyway.

He slumped against one of the trees until he was sitting against it, dropping the book at his side and putting his head into his hands. His nerves were frayed by a revelation he'd had in the office.

Cautiously, as though afraid it would bite him, he held his right hand out in front of him. He let his Spiritual Pressure rise slightly, the ice seeping into the ground around him and climbing up the tree he leaned against. A cold wind stirred up around him. This was all normal.

What wasn't normal was the translucent, icy colored brand on his hand shaped like a four pointed star.

He was the Soul Prince.

"I can't be…that's impossible." He scowled at the brand, as if his glare alone would remove it. "I'm…I'm not the Soul Prince!"

Reigning in his Spiritual Pressure, the ice faded, his brand vanishing with it. But the truth was already there. He couldn't escape his birthright. He'd already read what would happen if he refused the position and he definitely didn't want that kind of guilt over his head. He had to do it, to keep the Soul Society, no, the entire system of worlds, alive. But…at the same time, he couldn't handle that much pressure.

"Prince Hitsugaya." A soft voice called out.

"Don't call me that." Toshiro looked up at the girl standing before him.

Ruala now wore a black leather top that only covered her chest, a white fishnet over that, and a pair of black shorts with a tan and green-striped half-skirt, held up by a dark green belt. White boots touched her knees with black leggings going up mid-thigh. Her hands had dark brown gloves that went to her elbow. Over top was a white sleeveless haori with a hood on it, the symbol for the Royal Guard on her back.

"That is what you are." She said, still in a soft almost whispery voice, as she bowed to him. He growled.

"I'm not a prince." Toshiro stood sharply, turning to leave.

Instead he found an enormous panther in his path. It was at least a foot taller than normal panthers, with saber fangs and an unusual coloring.

"S-Sofia?"

The saber-panther grinned cheekily. Toshiro noticed the silver headdress was gone, revealing the black brand that was hidden underneath, the mark of the Royal Guard.

"She can't speak in that form." Ruala explained, stepping around the startled ice prince and next to the panther. Sofia purred as her master scratched her behind the ears.

The large cat shook her head then looked directly at Toshiro with bright violet eyes.

"It's time you came home." Ruala whispered. "Your father has been waiting."

"I don't want to be the prince, I told you!"

"It is your right by blood, you cannot refuse."

"I…I know that, but…"

"You learned the truth faster than we had first believed." Ruala said. "If you wish…you have time to say goodbye to the others."

"That's not what I'm concerned about." Toshiro sighed, leaning against the tree once more as he tried to put his thoughts in order. "For one thing, someone will need to replace me as the Squad Ten Captain."

"I'm sure there are several candidates." Ruala ruffled her cat's head fur, causing the cat to grumble, before standing full height. "Sofia will stay with you; she can take any form you wish. I will take my leave."

Toshiro said nothing, hardly taking notice of her absence. All he knew was that now he needed to tell the others somehow. They were surely still testing every male Soul Reaper with the hair color he had given them. That was what had originally made him suspect himself. When he started thinking about the teal color, he had looked in the mirror at his own teal eyes. He remembered how the lock had opened for him and the burning sensation in his hand, though he had thought it was Ruala at the time. With that in mind, he had confirmed it by revealing the star on his hand. It had been so obvious, all of it, but his mind refused to believe it. He thought of everything he could to deny what he was before he knew it himself.

Realizing the giant cat was still there, he turned to it. Sofia tilted her head.

"She said you could take any form." He stated.

Sofia winked and stood, body beginning to take on a golden glow. She began to shrink in size, and when the glow vanished, she was her tiny cat size once more.

"Any animal form, Prince Hitsugaya." She corrected, now able to speak.

"I said don't call me that."

"You told Ruala not to call you that, and she obliged. Since you've now told me I won't either. But out of respect, I must call you something prince related."

"But you won't." Teal eyes glared at the cat.

"Is that an order, young prince?" She smiled cheekily.

"As a Captain, not a Prince."

"I don't take orders from Captains."

Scowling, Toshiro turned away, picked up the black book, and started making his way out of the forest. Sofia followed at his heels at a fast trot, watching her surroundings with her bright violet eyes.

"They know about your cat form." The ice prince said after a while. "If they see you with me, especially with that mark, they'll get suspicious."

"You want me to change forms?" The cat moved a little faster so as to walk beside him.

"Yes, and hide the mark on your forehead."

"As you wish, young prince." The cat smiled cheekily once more before glowing again.

This time, when the glow dimmed, she was a paper white husky with light brown paws, ear tips and tail tip. Instead of her former silver headdress she covered the mark with a dark green bow, one that matched the ribbon tied around the base of her tail.

"I need a different name for you, too, since I told them yours." Toshiro sighed. "I'll just say I found you and you wouldn't leave me alone. Matsumoto can name you."

The husky snorted in amusement and continued to trot alongside him, acting like the happy-go-lucky dog she resembled.

"I assume you can Flash Step?" Toshiro asked as they reached the edge of the Rukongai. When Sofia gave him a dog smile and a mischievous glint, the ice Captain sighed.

Before he could leave, however, Sofia whipped her gaze back around to the forest, hackles raised and lips curled back in a snarl. Her growl caused Toshiro to go on alert as well, which is when he realized he'd left Hyorinmaru by his desk in his haste to leave.

"So this is the young prince." A sinister voice hissed in his ear. The voice made his body freeze as a shiver raced up his spine. "How adorable."

Sofia launched at something behind him, freeing him from whatever grip the voice had on him. He whipped around to face his enemy, only to catch a glimpse of red vanishing into shadow.

"This simple boy is to become the next king? I won't have it."

Toshiro held his hand up, prepared to use Kido as his last line of defense. Sofia kept her hackles raised and waited for the shadows to come around again. Together they waited for the next strike. As his Spiritual Pressure rose, the mark on Toshiro's hand became visible again.

"Well well, perhaps he is the son of the Soul King." The voice sneered, shadows seeping across the ground and towards the ice Captain, backing him and the dog with him into the forest. "The line truly has grown weak to force a mere boy onto the throne."

"Show yourself!" Toshiro shouted at the creeping shadows.

"…That book….Give that to me."

"Not a chance." Toshiro gripped the book tightly, this time heeding the warning in his mind that told him NOT to give up the book.

The shadows leaped at him, a figure beginning to form. It moved so quickly.

Toshiro Flash Stepped out of its path and held his hand out.

"_Way of Destruction-_" Something grabbed his arm and wrenched it behind his back, forcing an unwilling yelp from his lips.

"Until you learn how to use Destructive Spells silently, you're no match for me." The cold voice hissed in his ear, once more causing him to shiver and freeze, unable to escape that fear inducing hiss.

Sofia leaped at the offender, teeth flashing as she aimed for the figure's throat. Shadows shot from a second hand that reached in front of Toshiro's vision, launching the animorph into a tree. A whine escaped the dog's throat and Sofia could not stand, her foreleg at an odd angle.

"Now, boy. Hand over that book." Toshiro's entire body tensed as the breath of whoever held him prisoner brushed against his neck. He was not comfortable with this hidden enemy's close proximity.

"No."

"As stubborn as your father, you are." The voice chuckled. "Very well, I'll pry it from your dead hands."

Sharp points dug into his back. Toshiro yelped as a searing pain coursed through his limbs, the sharp points slowly digging deeper into his back. The more he struggled to escape the hold while still gripping the book, the deeper they dug and the more it hurt.

"Release him." A commanding voice roared.

His arm was released and the sharp points retreated. Toshiro fell to his knees, still holding the book, and turned to see who it was that had saved him.

A youthful woman with long black hair, a golden crescent clipped to the back, and a long flowing white robe over her haori and Soul Reaper uniform glared at a figure cloaked in shadow just behind him. She stood on tall wooden sandals, making her seem far taller than she actually was.

"The guardians come to save their little prince." The shadowed figure, a fair skinned, red-haired man with blood-red eyes smirked insanely at the woman.

"I cannot allow you to harm the Soul Prince." The woman snapped. "Your master surely awaits you. But I cannot let you leave."

She lifted a hand, which was covered by the long sleeve of her robe, and a light blue beam of light shot forth. She had used Byakurai without any words at all. The shadowy figure vanished into black smoke, leaving only a sinister chuckle in his wake.

A gentle hand touched his shoulder, spreading warmth through his body and allowing him to relax. Turning to see who it was Toshiro was surprised to see Ruala there, gifting him a small smile before helping him to stand.

"Are you alright, Prince?" The black haired woman asked, approaching them with a soft clip-clop of her wooden shoes.

"I'm…I'm fine." He replied in a small voice. "I was caught unarmed."

In answer, Ruala held out the sheathed blade of Hyorinmaru to him. He took it gratefully, strapping it to his back and relishing the familiar feel of the blade in its proper place.

"The other guard should be here soon." The black-haired woman said, turning to Ruala. "Stay with the prince, I must find where that shadow man went."

Ruala nodded to the woman who left quickly. Toshiro watched the spot where she had vanished; that was another Royal Guard, then. Only an hour after he'd realized he was the prince and he was already being protected by the famous guards of the king. Ruala must have called for them when she left.

"Who was that?" Toshiro asked, turning to Ruala. The girl had moved over to her beloved pet, still watching for signs of trouble, and was putting the whimpering dog's limb back in place from its awkward break.

"The woman was Senjumaru Shutara." Ruala replied. "The man who attacked you is known only as Gralio. His favorite hobby is to inflict pain."

"Noted." Toshiro scowled, attempting to reach back and rub the spot where the man had been stabbing him; with what, he still didn't know. "I'm guessing he was after me because I'm the prince."

There was no response at first, only a canine yelp as Sofia's leg was popped back into place. Ruala immediately set to work healing the injury.

"That is true. But he also wanted that book." Still healing the husky, Ruala turned to him. He noticed her amber eye was now bright white, leaving her with only a pupil in that eye. He kept his focus on her green eye. "It is the book of secrets."

Toshiro held the book in front of him. He was starting to hate it. Without it, he could have continued to live in blissful unawareness of his true identity. Without it, that man wouldn't have come after him the way he did.

Without it, Soul Society would slowly start to fall apart.

Why couldn't the Soul Prince have been someone else?

* * *

**What happens after he figures it out. And the enemy is finally revealed! Well...sorta. They come in rather slowly, Toshiro has to get used to being a prince for a while first. The enemy can't get into the Soul king's Realm anyway...i'll explain where they are later, hehe. The original five Royal Guards might be somewhat out of character since they haven't really been in the new arc very long, so sorry if I mess anything up. If you want to know anything else (no spoilers though, hehe) just ask ^^ Enjoy!**

**Oh, and before anyone else asks: Karin is going to be in here, don't worry, but she won't come in until later. The romance in this story is gonna be played down a bit since the main point of this story was for Toshiro to realize he's the Soul Prince and work his way up to king as his father dies as well as protect the three realms from the enemy, which is still unknown at the moment. She will become a part of the story but the romance was my own touch to the idea I was given which is why it isn't one of the genres, it's not a major thing. She will be, but the romance won't.**


	8. From One Home to Another

The Head Captain looked at the Captains and Lieutenants gathered around him, for once unsure how to explain what he'd been told. They waited expectantly, some of them slightly annoyed with having their trials stopped for such a sudden meeting. This was the third meeting regarding the Soul Prince in the span of a day and a half.

His eyes shifted to the vacant spot where Toshiro should have been, a few others following his gaze and frowning as well. The Squad Ten Lieutenant frowned deeply, wondering where he could have been; he hadn't been in his office, and the book and his zanpaktou were gone as well.

"I've gathered you all here to report that the Soul Prince has been found." Yamamoto finally spoke up, making sure his voice remained authoritative despite the suspicion he felt at the claim.

"He has?" Nanao pushed her glasses up before looking at the Head Captain with a shocked expression.

"Who is it?" Momo Hinamori, a young girl with black hair in a blue-clothed bun and sweet brown eyes, questioned.

"I have not been told, but a member of the Royal Guard came to me not fifteen minutes ago and said he had been found with the help of Captain Hitsugaya. I assume his absence is due to the discovery."

There were looks passed between various Soul Reapers, wondering who else was not around that could have been the Soul Prince. The Captains shared knowing glances, as they had been the ones told of the black book and the secrets it hid. Anyone who had been given that book would have found the prince rather quickly, especially a prodigy like the Squad Ten Captain.

The doors opened, snatching everyone's attention so that they looked that way.

Ruala, her hood up to hide her face with the black book tucked under her arm, and another man stepped inside. This man had black hair placed in a large 'regent' style and was very tall. His chest was exposed with his white jacket around him and the black hakama was tied by a yellow sash, sandals on his feet finishing the look. The man seemed to be chewing on a stick and looked at the gathered Soul Reapers with a superior look.

"Since you guys spent many hours helping us search for him, we thought it only fair to let him say his goodbyes before he left." The man told them huskily. "You should feel honored to have known the Soul Prince for so long."

That statement through them for a loop; they knew him? It clicked for a couple people in the room whose eyes widened and mouths dropped open in shock.

Ruala and the other Royal Guard member stepped aside, bowing deeply as a small figure stepped inside.

Toshiro glared at the two of them, uncomfortable with the circumstances of their bowing, but stepped inside. He stopped before reaching the lines of Captains and Lieutenants, eye downcast to avoid looking at the faces of the people he had known for years.

"Captain Hitsugaya…you are the Soul Prince?" The Head Captain's voice echoed in the silence of the meeting hall.

"…Yes…I figured it out when I began looking through the profiles of former Soul Kings. The most recent one…my father…had recruited Nakryin during his time. Once I knew she was a Royal Guard member, I realized why she had given me the book in the first place. I confirmed it with this." He held his right hand up, letting out some of his power so the icy mark would show.

Some of the others began to mutter, causing Toshiro to hunch a little from the pressure of their skeptical and expectant gazes

"Impossible!" Mayuri growled. On reflex of dealing with him in the past, Toshiro stood straight again and glared. Rangiku next to the scientist looked ready to slap said scientist. "An annoying brat such as yourself couldn't possibly be the Soul Prince!"

"Kurotsuchi!" The Head Captain roared and many shrunk back as the temperature rose. "Whether you like it or not the mark on Hitsugaya's hand proves he is the Soul Prince. You will show respect!"

The scientist scowled but dared not speak lest he anger the old man even more. The unnamed Royal Guard snickered at his dilemma.

Ruala moved to whisper in the man's ear, catching Toshiro's attention; that, and he didn't want to focus on the stares of the others.

"Hm…we'll need to be going now, the prince isn't safe here." The man explained to them. Several of them gasped, wondering what he meant.

"What do you mean?" Momo stepped past her Captain, not wanting to see her childhood friend leave. Toshiro offered her a sympathetic look but kept his gaze away from the others. "Why isn't Shiro safe here?"

"Well…the details are classified." The man scratched his head. "But we're having a…conflict among the Royal Families back home. One of the Soul King's enemies sent out a grunt to try and, well, kill Prince Hitsugaya."

"Kill!?" Rangiku's hand shot up to her mouth as horror crossed her face, while Toshiro mentally gaped at the fact that the evil being that had frozen him with their voice alone was simply a grunt.

"With him out of the way his father would have to pick someone else to take his place to make sure everything doesn't fall apart, and most of the competition is being eliminated. It's crucial we get the prince home and safe."

"So…we'll never see him again?" Momo took a few steps towards them, not sure if the guards would stop her or not.

"Momo…" Toshiro looked at her sadly. Of course she'd be sad, she saw him as her little brother, and now she was worried she would never see him.

Noticing this, Ruala stepped towards the Lieutenant, reaching into her haori for something. Some of the others tensed, worried what the girl had planned, but relaxed when she pulled out a simple pendant. She handed it to the girl and whispered something before standing and returning to Toshiro's side. No one had any idea what was said, but Momo looked a little less sad about her 'brother' leaving.

"Well, sorry to leave you all so soon but we need to get going." The man smirked, hands resting behind his head as he pivoted on his heel and walked dramatically out the door.

Ruala made to leave as well but stopped at the door to wait for Toshiro. Ignoring the growing weight over his heart, the ice Captain turned away from the others and quickly stepped outside. Shutting the door behind her, Ruala kept at the back, the three of them joining up with a giant cat formed Sofia and then Flash Stepping away from the Squad One barracks.

"What now, Head Captain?" Rangiku turned to the silent old man.

"We search for a replacement." Byakuya replied monotonously. "Hitsugaya is to be the next Soul King; we have no need to worry about him."

"He didn't seem too happy about it." Jushiro mused worriedly. "Let's hope he's safe now."

"Tch, to think a brat like him could become the most powerful man in the spirit realm." Mayuri growled to himself.

"Oi, Momo." Shinji called out to the small Lieutenant still standing in the center of the room, gazing at the pendant. "You okay?"

"That's right; Hinamori and Hitsugaya were childhood friends." Izuru, the blue-eyed blonde said aloud, eyebrows permanently knitted into a worried expression with one eye covered by his long bangs.

"I'll be fine." Momo turned to her Captain, a smile plastered on her face when her eyes said it all: she was going to be upset about Toshiro's departure for a while.

Once everyone had settled down, the Head Captain sent them off to return to their normal duties, with the added mission of keeping an eye out for a possible Squad Ten Captain candidate.

With the group of four now leaving the Rukongai's outer areas, Ruala led the way to an average-sized house, a sign held up by obnoxious steel arm statues that read 'Kukaku Shiba' in bold Kanji. A tall pillar sat next to the home, awaiting them. Standing in front of the pillar was Senjumaru and Kukaku Shiba herself, a woman with wild black hair tied with bandages, a revealing red robe and provocative white skirt. Her right arm was a prosthetic and hung limply at her side.

At their approach, both women turned to greet them.

"Guess you guys want to be off now?" Kukaku kept a serious face for now, knowing the situation called for such.

"Yup, as quick as possible. Once Prince Hitsugaya is in the Soul King's Realm, the Dethmaiyn grunts should leave the Soul Society alone." The man, who along the way was introduced as Tenjiro Kirinji, stated plainly.

"Alright then, let's get going." Kukaku lifted a fist to shoulder height. "Won't want to keep the king waiting."

As she and Tenjiro got ready to leave, moving the pillar into place, Toshiro looked back in the direction of the Soul Society. Even from that distance he could see the tall white tower at its center and the Sokyoku Hill. He wondered who all would remember him, and who would forget him at first chance. He doubted Byakuya would care about him, and Mayuri would probably just erase him from memory. He knew Momo and Rangiku would always remember him, and Karin Kurosaki would surely wonder where he went.

"Hitsugaya." A soft voice grabbed his attention.

Though his face remained passive as he turned to acknowledge Ruala, his teal eyes still held the sadness he felt about leaving everything he knew behind.

"The Soul King is able to return," She explained, "They've just never had a reason to. Among the rare cases of Soul Princes, none have ever been raised in Soul Society, let alone become a Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

"Why was I here?" Toshiro questioned, suspicion rising as he thought about how, despite being a prince, he'd lived his life in mockery from the other kids in the Rukongai districts.

"Your mother left the realm with you, but no one found you afterwards." Tenjiro answered as he approached the duo. "Weeks later we found her body, but you were nowhere to be seen, so we assumed she'd managed to find a safe place for you. Didn't have a reason to find you, since you were safe in secrecy and no one else besides your father and we Royal Guard knew you existed, so we let you stay. Ruala's the only one who knew what you looked like anyway." He pointed to the hooded guard.

"But now that they know, these soldiers of Dethmaiyn want me dead?"

"Unfortunately." Tenjiro paused as Ruala walked away. "You know, that's the first time she spoke so much in one go."

"It is?" Toshiro raised a single eyebrow. "She didn't talk much at first, but after I found out who I was she spoke a bit, just not very loudly."

"Guess she likes you." Tenjiro shrugged. "That girl doesn't talk to anybody she doesn't like unless she has to, and even then at a whisper with short answers. So far the only people she talks freely with are your father and Kirio Hikifune."

Toshiro found that interesting. Even though she seemed rather shy, she seemed to be more at ease once he'd learned his truth and had spoken to him willingly. He had assumed her before mentioned shyness was an act to get him off her scent as a Royal Guard, but now he knew her shyness was genuine.

"I know that members of the Royal Guard are only chosen if they've made a significant contribution to the Soul Society. What was her contribution?"

"Ah, she's a special case." Tenjiro scratched his head, before noticing Senjumaru waving him over. "Ask your father when we return. It's time to go anyway, so let's go."

With one last glance at his former home, Toshiro followed the three Royal Guard members inside. In less than five minutes he would leave his childhood home and more than likely never return.

* * *

**Here's what everyone was waiting for! Everyone's reactions to their chibi Captain being a prince. Some hostile, some depressed (You guys had to know Mayuri would throw a fit over that). So now he's off to the Soul King's Realm with his guards and away from everything he ever knew...poor Shiro. Hope there's plenty of feeling to it. Enjoy!**


	9. Absence of Snow

Three figures walked through the alleys of the Court of Pure Souls, unable to find a single Soul Reaper moving around.

"Where is everyone?" One of the figures spoke aloud, a young man with bright orange hair and light brown eyes. His enormous zanpaktou trapped to his back by a thick red strap, his Soul Reaper uniform differing from the norm with a collar and black X's along his arms and ankles.

"Calm down, Ichigo." A dark skinned woman with long purple hair and bright amber eyes replied with a roll of her eyes. Her black pants fit tightly, the orange shirt over the black top somewhat looser. "Remember, they're busy at the moment."

"Right, something about a prince." Ichigo Kurosaki scratched his head.

The woman, Yoruichi Shihon, turned to their third member, Kisuke Urahara. The eccentric man had a green and white striped hat over his blonde hair, covering his eyes in shadow. His shirt and pants were green, a black robe made to look like an inverse colored Captain's robe fluttered behind him while he stood on tall sandals.

"Kisuke, what are you thinking?" Yoruichi questioned.

"Oh, nothing much." Kisuke grinned, hiding it behind his fan. "I just thought I would very much like to meet the young prince."

"Young prince? Do you know who it is?" Ichigo paused and looked at him.

"I have a hunch, nothing more." Kisuke kept walking forward.

"Kisuke." Yoruichi said in a low warning tone, putting a firm hand on the shopkeeper's shoulder.

"Surely you noticed it too, Miss Yoruichi." Kisuke turned half way, glancing at them seriously. "Shiro isn't anywhere in the Court of Pure Souls like the other Captains."

"Toshiro is the Soul Prince?" Ichigo couldn't help but gape. "I knew he was tough for a kid, but I never imagined this."

"Neither did I, but it's safe to say they found their prince." Yoruichi sighed. "Guess it was a waste coming here then. I'll drop in on Soi Fon and Byakuya for a tease, you boys get moving."

"Hey, I was going to see Rukia and Renji." Ichigo crossed his arms.

"You two have fun; I have a store to manage!" Kisuke waved at them with his fan, grinning widely, before promptly vanishing back to the gate.

"Ichigo." Yoruichi called out seriously before the Substitute could vanish. "I know you and Hitsugaya grew rather close during his stay in Karakura Town. Not to mention his apparent attraction to your sister Karin." She smirked as the teen grumbled under his breath. "His crush aside, perhaps you should ask Rukia and Renji about what all happened between them calling us in and him leaving. That way you can tell Karin something about why he doesn't visit her anymore."

"Yeah, I guess. She had been hoping he'd come play soccer with her and the team Saturday."

With one final nod to each other, they went their separate ways.

As the years had gone by, Ichigo had finally learned how to sense Spiritual Pressure from a good distance away, and found he was lucky enough that the pair he wished to talk to were already together and close by. He let them know he was coming before darting in. They both were looking at the spot he'd appeared in.

"Ichigo, it's been a few months." Rukia Kuchiki smiled, violet eyes shining and short black hair barely waving in the wind, the part between her eyes shifting over to the side.

"Sorry, college has been hell." Ichigo grumbled, approaching to sit next to the black haired Soul Reaper. She pecked him on the cheek then turned to the red head with them.

"Yeah, you would know how that was, wouldn't you?" Renji Abarai smirked. His long red hair was up in a ponytail the tattoos above his brows and on his arms looking fiercer than ever, though the ones on his forehead were covered by a visor of some kind.

"Not something I want to remember." The young man snapped back. "Anyway, I caught wind of what happened. So Toshiro is a prince now, right?"

They both nodded solemnly.

"He had no idea either, looked really uncomfortable with it when he came to say goodbye." Renji explained. "Not to mention Momo is distraught now, she'll be out of commission for a few days at least."

"Damn."

"But he had to leave." Rukia stepped in. "The Royal Guard was with him when he came, and they said someone had been sent to kill him."

"Kill him?!" Ichigo gaped. His gape widened as his friends nodded. "Man, Karin won't be happy to hear that."

"Don't tell her that part, idiot." Rukia frowned. "I'm sure Captain Hitsugaya wanted to say goodbye to her as well, but he wasn't allowed to leave the Soul Society. It was too dangerous."

"Probably didn't want to get her involved." Ichigo nodded in understanding. "Well, he's gone now. Wish they had waited for me."

They sat in silence for a moment, taking in the fresh air and enjoying each other's company.

"Oi, Ichigo." Renji said suddenly.

"What?"

"Since you're here, how about a spar?"

They grinned wickedly at each other and Rukia rolled her eyes. There they went again.

After managing to make Byakuya at least growl fiercely at her, Yoruichi had let him be and went to Soi Fon. The Squad Two Captain was ecstatic to see her, and after admiring the woman for a moment, explained the situation with Toshiro to her former Captain.

"Trying to kill him? Sounds like someone wants the throne and is willing to kill Toshiro to get it." Yoruichi mused.

"I have no doubts about that." Soi Fon agreed. "That's why they were in such a hurry to leave with him. Now the problem is who we are going to get for the Squad Ten Captain position. It's even harder than normal since the Lieutenant is Rangiku, so we need someone who will make her work."

"The only other Soul Reapers with Bankai at the moment, that I know of, are Renji Abarai and Ikkaku Madarame." Yoruichi began to pace. "But Ikkaku won't leave his squad and Renji doesn't seem willing enough to get Rangiku working at a good pace."

"We're searching every possible candidate, but so far those are the only two choices. Either we convince Ikkaku to leave his beloved Captain or we train Renji to be a stronger leader. He argues too much with others to lead them." Soi Fon added on.

"Very true." The two women thought carefully about who they could pick.

"There was one Soul Reaper, the Third Seat of Squad Five, who had recently mastered Bankai. They were thinking of having him take place of Lieutenant Hinamori, but now that there's a Captain seat open he may be able to take it."

"Well, let's see who this man is and see if he's Captain material." Yoruichi grinned like a Cheshire cat and took off, Soi Fon close behind.

The man in question was at the Squad Five training grounds, working to keep up his strength. He was about to use Bankai to practice that when he sensed the Squad Two Captain approach, along with another person he didn't recognize.

The two women appeared and Yoruichi scanned over the man for a physical assessment on the spot. He was tall and well built, if a little thin, with shaggy silver hair and ice blue eyes. Upon closer inspection the silver turned out to be dye, as the man actually had blonde hair. His zanpaktou was currently in Shikai, a long black katana with shadows seeping off of it.

"Kadin Thane?" Soi Fon questioned with authority in her tone.

Realizing a Captain was speaking to him, Kadin quickly bowed.

"Yes Captain, that's me."

"Word has it you've mastered Bankai, if only just a few days ago."

"I…I have." Kadin stood back up, raising an eyebrow questioningly. "Is this for the vacant Captain seat?"

"There are three current candidates, one of them being you." Yoruichi explained. "One of them probably won't leave his squad, and the other probably can't handle Rangiku."

"And you think I can?" Kadin grimaced. "To be honest, ma'am, I don't know how Captain Hitsugaya got her to do ANY work."

"Well then, let's hope you don't get the job." The purple haired woman smirked before turning to the smaller Captain with her. "Well, might as well tell the Head Captain that we have another possible Captain."

They vanished, leaving Kadin alone in the field again.

"Oh boy, something tells me I won't like this." He scowled. Sighing, he returned to training. His shadowy blade morphed into a broadsword and he practiced swinging that around some, and then switched it to a short sword.

"Power over shadows?" Yoruichi mused, watching the Third Seat from a distance. "Pretty far off from ice, but I see potential. Maybe he'll get along with Rangiku after all."

"I don't understand." Soi Fon tilted her head.

"Not sure if Rangiku is afraid of the dark but I'm sure Kadin's shadows could give her enough of a scare to get her on track, don't you think?" Yoruichi grinned and took off once more.

Though many were unhappy with the absence of Hitsugaya, life was still moving on and a new Captain was soon to be chosen. If all went smoothly, Toshiro may just pass from their thoughts altogether. A certain pair of Lieutenants begged to differ; Rangiku and Momo both refused to forget the white haired child they knew so well, and a girl in the World of the Living wasn't about to let Toshiro off the hook until he at least came to say goodbye.

* * *

**Just a little of what happens after Shiro leaves for the Soul King's Realm. Kadin is another OC of mine, as I wasn't confident with making one of the others Captain. Though, he'll probably make someone angry. Oh well, I can't please everyone. Anyway, just spoiled that. The next few chapters will be focused on Toshiro so the Soul Society will be kind of...unknown for a while. Don't worry, they'll come back. Enjoy!**


	10. Settling In

The Tenchuren, the pillar they had to load into Kukaku's cannon, arrived with no interruptions and released its passengers onto the Vestibule Road, the entrance to the kingdom. Looking ahead, Toshiro saw a path that rose to the main area, with a city spread around not unlike the Court of Pure Souls. A stairway led upwards to a platform beneath an enormous floating building which he assumed to be his father's palace. There were six other floating cities which, if he remembered right, were the cities belonging to each of the Royal Guard members.

It was impressive, to say the least, but it wasn't home. He probably wouldn't consider it that for a long time yet.

"Follow us; I'm sure your father wants to see you." Senjumaru began leading the way across the path and through the city.

Tenjiro was coming as well, but Ruala and Sofia had left quickly towards one of the floating cities, the former giving Senjumaru the book.

"Probably went to check up on her animals." Tenjiro explained at Toshiro's questioning glance. "Her place isn't so much a city as it is a forest, which only one Royal Family is willing to live in."

"So she's mostly alone?" Hitsugaya asked.

"Well, alone from people. She's always got her animals; Sofia's the equivalent of her best friend."

For some reason, Toshiro found that…sad.

His attention was turned to the city as various people in richly designed clothing stopped to look at him. Some looked on in awe, others skepticism, and yet others with an air of indifference, as if his presence annoyed them. All caused the young Ex-Captain to outwardly stand tall as he usually did amongst strangers who doubted him, while inwardly he shrunk under the pressure. Being a young prince was going to be just as hard, if not harder, than being a Captain prodigy. He wasn't just ruling over a squad now, he had an entire realm under him.

No pressure…

They ascended the stairs out of the city and underneath the floating fortress. Even from far below, Toshiro could feel a strong presence inside, one that felt comforting to him but seemed to make the others shiver.

"Your father knows you're here." Senjumaru commented, turning her gaze on him. "He's eager to see you."

"I'm…not really sure I should…" Toshiro said quietly.

The Guards shared a glance, understanding the boy's situation.

"I'll go talk to him." Tenjiro smirked. "Senjumaru can show you your room. Kirio should be inside somewhere, the girls will help you settle in."

Their charge only nodded in reply, eyes gazing at the ground instead of them. As a sort of last minute action, Senjumaru called a large white butterfly to her before sending it off, and then led Toshiro to a large circular area straight underneath the floating fortress. The woman whispered something under her breath and the platform began to rise. Rock scraped against rock as large doors on the bottom of the palace opened to bid them enter.

Letting his eyes adjust from the bright sun outside to the darker inside of the palace, lit by multiple candelabra resting along the walls, Toshiro gazed around at his new home. The walls were pale brown, scarlet drapery resting between each of the candelabra and covering most of the windows.

"This isn't the fun part of the castle." Senjumaru grinned in a foxlike way, not even glancing as Tenjiro vanished with Flash Step. "The more interesting parts are further up."

"That all depends on how you view it." Toshiro replied.

"Oh you'll like it, trust me." And with that the young woman began leading him to the only hallway with stairs in it.

The young prince quickly noticed that there was a set of stairs that went down. Finding that rather strange, considering they were quite literally on the lowest floor with only a few feet of stonework between them and the open air, Toshiro took a moment to peer downward and try to discern what it was that was down there…or if it was just to be funny. It led into a dark room where he could see…nothing.

"What's down there? And how is it possible to go any further down?" Toshiro turned to the black haired Royal Guard.

Glancing back at him, and then to the downward staircase, the woman frowned deeply.

"That room is off limits to anyone without the King's permission." She spoke gravely. "I have not been in there, so I can't tell you why. As for how it can go downwards like that, it's a recent spell made by Ruala. Her title is the Ruler of Magika."

As the woman began moving upwards once more, Toshiro sighed and turned away from the object of his curiosity, following her upwards into the main section of his new home.

"By that name, I'm guessing she has some connection to Kido?" Toshiro questioned.

"She didn't invent it, if that's what you're asking." Senjumaru called back. "It's more that she's…a master of it. Even the Kido Corps would have trouble keeping up with her spells. Plus, she seems to have control over various other spells as well, not just Kido"

"She can use magic other than Kido?"

"Magic of the likes you would never believe in your wildest dreams." The woman gestured dramatically with her arms. "That girl can use spells easier than she can run. But enough about Ruala, you'll get to speak with her in depth at a later date."

They finished ascending the stairs and stepped into a grand hallway lit by the light of the windows on their right, the wall on their left covered with various portraits and drapery with the occasional door. The setting matched a British palace better than a Japanese realm, the color scheme soft blues and greens with the walls being a light cream color. Several other white butterflies fluttered around inside.

"The styles change throughout the levels. After all, the Soul King has been around since ancient times, not to mention rules all branches of the Soul Society." She turned to the stunned prince. "Each level expresses the different tastes of each Soul King. This level was, obviously, built for a British Soul King. Most of them may seem rather Japanese centered since that branch has become rather powerful, but be prepared to see some strange things." She grinned in that foxlike way again.

She led him along the sky blue carpet on the floor, the edges embroidered in dazzling silver. The drapes were similar in design, though they alternated with ones of deep forest green with golden lining. The doors were thick cherry wood with intricate designs carved along the wood, ones he was unfamiliar with but he had no doubt were powerful British symbols.

They passed through one of these doors, a plain one with no significance, and began climbing again.

"If I remember right," Senjumaru mused aloud and Toshiro had to strain to hear her, "By heading straight through this door first after entering and picturing which level I wish to go to, I can get right to the King's floor. Ruala really knows how to bump up security."

"Security?" Toshiro questioned.

"In case anyone ever manages to get inside without permission. Only the King and we Royal Guards know how to maneuver this place. Anyone else would quickly get lost. Oh, and the staff know their way around, too."

He grew silent again, simply following the woman up the flight of stairs and to a familiar sight of sliding doors like the ones in his own office. Glancing mysteriously at her charge, Senjumaru slowly opened the doors. Toshiro stepped inside.

The British level had certainly been impressive, but he hadn't expected what he saw on his father's floor.

The room was very spacious with very warm tones throughout the room. Scarlet seemed to be a favorite, as there were multiple velvet drapes of that color mixed with silver, a rather odd color to put with red, and a dark blood red carpet floor that was soft on the feet. One wall was mostly pulled away with a cherry wood balcony rail that allowed one to look outside. An inside garden twined itself around the carpet walkways and left a refreshing scent in the air as one walked by, more butterflies resting on the leaves or zooming off to other rooms. It had multiple outside qualities of a nobleman's mansion but all inside.

Senjumaru led him across the velvet path and across a small wooden bridge that arced over a tiny stream that circled its way back around to a miniature waterfall at the far side of the room.

"You'll be on this floor for now until you become King." Senjumaru said, dragging his attention from the scenery. "Then you can form one to fit your own tastes."

"How?"

"Normally it takes quite a long time, but ever since Ruala was picked, things involving magic became a snap. She could have the entire floor just how you want it finished within the day."

Toshiro found that, despite knowing so little about her, Ruala seemed very important. For not being a Soul Reaper she seemed rather powerful.

After passing through a long hallway with several sliding doors with different Kanji symbols for what they meant, Senjumaru stopped.

"Ruala apparently had this room prepared for you before she left." The guardswoman silently opened the door for the young prince. "You can adjust it however you like."

Much like the main room, the color scheme was a mix of dark scarlet shades and silvers. It was bigger than his office with a large bed draped in silver sheets and a dark red couch off in a corner. A desk of cherry wood rested near a large open window, the breeze from outside ruffling the scarlet curtains. The floor was mostly wood with a large red carpet that crawled out from under the bed and around the center of the room. Various cherry wood furniture was in place with silver candelabra over top and small bushes by the window gave the room a jasmine scent every time the wind pushed through.

It would take time to get used to such richness in his life, he could tell, but he didn't say anything to the woman next to him. Senjumaru set the black book down on the desk before walking back over to the center where Toshiro stood.

"When you wish to speak to your father, send a Spirit Butterfly to one of us and we'll take you to him."

"Spirit Butterfly?" Toshiro spoke, cursing as his voice betrayed some of his sadness.

"The white butterflies." Senjumaru seemed to take no notice to the slip up of emotion and pointed to one of the white butterflies lounging on the bush at the window. "Hell Butterflies are for the Soul Society but are too small to live here. We use their larger cousins instead, the Spirit Butterflies."

Toshiro nodded and watched the black haired woman leave before moving quickly to the window. He just stood there, letting the breeze brush over him and calm his nerves.

So much had happened in the span of two days. At the beginning of those days he was the same as always, the Squad Ten Captain and child prodigy of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, ruling over a decent squad with a lazy Lieutenant and dealing with the other Captains. Now he was the prince of the Soul King's Realm, ruling over all of Soul Society, including the branches of the other countries, as well as keeping watch over the World of the Living.

He remembered that he was still wearing his Captain's robe, gripping onto the familiar white fabric of the haori. After looking back briefly on the day he was gifted it, the day he became Captain and took on responsibility of Squad Ten after the former Captain had vanished, he removed it from his figure and folded it to where the symbol on the back was on top before setting it on the table by his bed. The black uniform contrasted with his white hair but he paid no mind to it, knowing that once the haori was gone, his removal from the Thirteen Court Guard Squads would be complete.

Pulling himself away from the haori to avoid the memories now attached to it, Toshiro instead reached back and gripped onto Hyorinmaru. He pushed himself onto his bed and placed the blade in his lap. If anyone could help him at the moment it was his zanpaktou.

In no time he opened his eyes to the icy plain that was his Inner World, the giant ice dragon resting before him with wings out wide. It was a majestic sight to behold.

"**Your mind has become muddled, Master.**" The dragon rumbled with a despairing tone. "**Are you truly so shaken by the truth?**"

"I don't know what to think." Toshiro replied. "It's…in two days I went from a Captain to a prince. That's not something I can get used to within an hour. And now my life is threatened by people with more power than the Thirteen Court Guard Squads combined, not to mention I'll have to take over for the Soul…for my father…when he dies!"

Seeing the distress coming through the barrier Toshiro had put up, Hyorinmaru moved himself forward and wrapped himself around his Soul Reaper. The icy body managed to calm the white haired prince down and Toshiro gratefully leaned into his zanpaktou, reigning in his emotions again to Hyorinmaru's dislike.

"**I cannot help you if you hide away what you feel.**" The dragon complained, moving his head down to look at his master, red eyes gleaming in the icy light.

Toshiro glanced up at the giant head in front of him, the emotions he was trying to hide showing clearly in his eyes. The shock was finally registering. He wasn't going back; he wouldn't see anyone he knew again. Momo, Rangiku, Karin….they would have to forget about him in due time. Ruala could say all she liked about him being allowed to go back, but as long as he was being hunted he would only be a danger to them. As all this came up to the surface, Hyorinmaru humming gently to support him, the young prince found the feeling that was at the core of his muddled thoughts.

He was afraid.

* * *

**Aw, poor Toshiro. So, he hasn't met his dad yet, he's not exactly prepared for that. But he will soon! Promise! Like the twist I put on the palace? Eh? Eh? So Ruala's got a lot of magic but i'll tell you now, she does NOT like fights. She's actually kind of a really powerful scaredy cat. More of the sisterly type, really, not a guardian. More on that in the next chapter. Enjoy!**


	11. God Help the Outcasts

A figure entered the room where Hitsugaya meditated, noticing a tear running down the boy's face. As quietly as possible, she snuck her way over before sitting on the bed next to him, watching him instinctually tense by the revelation of her presence.

Teal eyes opened and turned upon her, widening as they realized it was Ruala.

"Shutara said you might like some company." She whispered.

"I'd rather be alone." Toshiro replied, gaze reverting to the floor. He let his eyes trace the intricate silver detail around the edge of the red carpet.

Ruala didn't reply, just sat with him in silence. In contrast, the tiny cat Sofia jumped up and pushed herself onto his lap, purring loudly and rubbing against his hand. Giving in, Toshiro scratched her behind the ears, her purring increasing in volume as she settled herself into his lap. She was as soft as he had thought she was and it made him feel warm inside.

"What is Sofia?" He asked, not liking the silence but wanting to avoid anything about himself.

"She is what I call a Rahvain." Ruala replied. "It's a word from my home that means Beast Spirit. Soul Reapers have a zanpaktou, I have Sofia."

"Sofia is your zanpaktou?" Toshiro seemed startled by this.

"Sort of." Ruala corrected. She motioned for the cat to come and she obliged, curling up in Ruala's lap instead. "She is my strength, my guide. Without her I would never have found my power."

"How did you become a Royal Guard?"

Ruala smiled softly.

"That comes later." She told him. "I came here to make sure you were alright."

Why did she have to turn the attention back to him?

"I'm fine." He snapped. "This will just take some…getting used to."

Sofia snorted and stood, sauntering over to the bedside table and leaping onto it. She then proceeded to lie down on top of the haori he had placed there.

"Hey!" Toshiro jumped to his feet and glared fiercely at the tiny cat.

"I'm not harming it." She replied calmly. "It's soft; I can't imagine why you would take it off."

"Because…I'm not a Captain anymore." His voice fell and his eyes turned downward. "I don't need it."

"Doesn't mean you should get rid of it." Sofia snorted. "Hm, what to do with it…perhaps we can fix it up a little."

"What do you mean?" Teal eyes glanced warily at the feline.

"Well, you're used to wearing it, but we can't keep it the way it is." She stood and walked off the haori and he was surprised to see it had hardly shifted under her tiny frame. "For one thing, this," She poked a paw at the Kanji number ten there, "is strictly for the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Since you're not a member, it can't stay that way, but I'm sure Senjumaru can do something clever with it. That way it's at least familiar to you, but it won't mean that you're a Captain anymore."

Toshiro didn't reply, just glanced at the haori and once more looked back on his life. The cat was right, he would feel more comfortable with something familiar, but now the memories attached to it were almost too painful for him.

"Do what you like." He sighed, giving up on deciding whether or not to keep his last memento of the Soul Society and his former position. The cat seemed to frown and she sat next to the haori with a worried expression.

"Hitsugaya…we know this must be hard." She meowed. "When we first came here, it took a lot of getting used to. It'll get better, we promise."

No answer. Concerned, Sofia left the robe where it was and leaped back over to Ruala, looking up at her master with a question in her violet eyes that the girl understood but Toshiro did not.

"Do you remember the pendant I gave that Lieutenant?" Ruala questioned, stroking the white cat's fur.

Toshiro nodded, wondering what she was getting at.

"It's a charm I made not that long ago. As long as that girl wears it, she will be kept safe, and it also allows her to speak to you in dreams." She noticed the boy's eyes widen at this and she fished out an identical pendant, handing it to him. "This is the other half. It's a very faint connection and you probably won't see her, but it will at least allow the both of you to make sure the other is safe."

"Th…Thank you." He said after some hesitation, clutching tightly to the necklace.

The young prince sat back on the bed, trying to sort his thoughts back out. The feelings that had sunk in while he was talking to Hyorinmaru were beginning to show through to his physical body and he could feel his eyes begin to sting. He shut them tight, hoping to the heavens he wouldn't cry, not with a member of the Royal Guard with him. He crossed his arms when he felt his hands begin to shake and tried with all his might to seem like he was simply deep in thought.

There was a humming sound and he opened his eyes, glancing at Ruala. She had her eyes closed, a tiny smile on her face, and was humming a soft lullaby seemingly to herself. It distracted him from his thoughts as he tried to recognize the rhythm. He was unsuccessful.

"What song is that?" He asked, curious.

Ruala paused in her singing and glanced at him. She then smiled and turned her gaze to outside through the window as the sky turned a dark orange with the fading light.

"A song my mother once sang to me." She said in a soft tone. "My people were different from others. Even though we know of Soul Reapers, we still believed there were gods guiding us, helping us stay strong."

Toshiro frowned at that. If there were gods, then why the Hell did they never do anything?

"…I don't know if you can hear me…or if you're even there." Ruala sang softly, catching his attention again. "I don't know if you would listen to a poor girl's prayer."

Sofia leapt down and shifted into the form of a songbird, whistling a small song and fluttering around the room.

"Yes I know I'm just an outcast, I shouldn't speak to you." Ruala's face fell and Toshiro was a lot more interested in the song now. "Still I see your face and wonder, were you once an outcast too?"

She stood and walked over to the window, her expression hidden from the entranced prince.

"Gods, help the outcasts hungry from birth. Show them the mercy they don't find on Earth. Gods, help my people, we look to you still. Gods, help the outcasts, or nobody will."

Having been an outcast himself in the Rukongai, Toshiro felt a connection to the song as he listened on.

"I ask for nothing, I can get by. But I know so many less lucky than I. Please help my people, the poor and downtrod. For I thought we all were children of gods. Gods, help the outcasts, children of gods…"

The songbird form of Sofia landed gently on the girl's shoulder as she finished her song.

"So you're just like me?" Toshiro said aloud.

Ruala at first remained silent, keeping her gaze towards the outside while her pet brushed her feathered head against her master's neck.

"I was…" She answered. "But there is always someone willing to help you, no matter how much you think there's not. Someone that takes you from the world of outcasts and makes you feel like you belong."

Toshiro's thoughts turned to his grandmother and Momo, the only two people in the Rukongai who didn't fear him, who actually cared about him. Rangiku, who could care less how young he was as her Captain and always there to support him. He thought of Karin as well, how even when her friends were afraid of him she stuck herself out and attempted to be friends, even though he made it obvious he didn't want to be. Then again, that was probably just the Kurosaki gene of stubbornness.

"And what if you belong with the outcasts?"

"Then you're not an outcast anymore." Ruala smiled and turned around to face him. "You have a group who accepts you; therefore you are no longer outcasts."

He had never thought of it that way before. Vaguely he wondered how Ruala got over being an outcast, and who it was that had been there for her. But he knew she wouldn't say anything by the hint of sadness in her expression and kept silent. Teal eyes watched as she returned to sit by his side where she began to hum the song once more.

"Don't lock up your feelings." Sofia whispered, in her cat form once more. "It's useless around Ruala, she can see right through them."

"W-what?"

"That's one of her talents. No matter how hard you try, she always knows what it is you truly feel. That's why she won't leave even though you're trying to make it look like you want to be alone."

"But I do want to be alone." Toshiro scowled.

"You're lying to yourself, then." Sofia shook her head sadly, curling up into her master's lap as Ruala continued to hum. "She'll get you to see the truth, you just watch."

Stubborn, Toshiro looked away, unwilling to submit to the cat's words. Besides, even if the Royal Guard left, he had Hyorinmaru. It wouldn't be that bad to be alone for a while. Then again…the fear began to creep back into his thoughts. He had limited time to become king or the fabric of space that held together this realm, the Soul Society and the World of the Living together would snap. He'd be a failure. He had one chance. The pressure of his birthright was beginning to weigh on him. No more boy from the Rukongai, no more youngest Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. He had to be prince, and soon king. He tried to build himself back up, to face the challenge.

He couldn't.

His hands shook in his lap no matter how hard he fought to still them and it was becoming impossible to fight back tears. Then, a gentle hand rested on his, spreading warmth throughout his body and calming the fear. Teal eyes turned, shocked, towards Ruala.

"Do not be afraid." She soothed. "Your father will help you however he can, as will the guards. You will not be thrust onto the throne without knowing how to do anything."

"But what if I can't?" Toshiro argued, cursing himself for how pathetic his voice sounded. "Being Captain…that was stressful enough, but KING? I don't even know where to begin, I can't…I…"

"You must try, Toshiro."

Slightly caught off guard by one of his soon-to-be guards calling him by his first name, Toshiro said nothing in reply.

"I can't see the future, but I know you will become a great Soul King." Ruala smiled gently. "But you must learn to trust others. That is one of many flaws you have, it is also your weakness."

The young prince turned away, translucent tears forming at the corners of his eyes.

"Your father trusted me with finding you for a reason, and that is because he trusts me to take care of you, his only son. The Soul King knows he can trust me with anything…now it's your turn to trust me."

"I barely know you…And I don't know my father…"

"Then you decide on your own. Will you trust me?" Ruala held firm as Toshiro turned back to her, an ice cold barrier hiding as many emotions as possible from her searching gaze.

The longer he stared, though, trying to gauge how much he could trust her without giving anything away, the faster that barrier melted. Her left eye was hidden by blonde hair and he could only look into the depths of her forest green eye. Something about her gaze broke the gate of his emotions and the tears finally fell down his face. Smiling softly, she pulled the young prince into an embrace and brushed a hand through his hair to calm him down. Unable to stem the flood of pain and fear that had been brought out, Toshiro gave up and hugged the guardian tightly, sobbing into her shoulder.

It took some time but eventually Hitsugaya calmed down and fell asleep, head resting in the blonde's lap as she continued to rub his back gently.

The door creaked open and a large woman with bright purple hair in a bun with black swirls on her cheeks and black lipstick stepped inside. She wasn't wearing her robe with the Royal Guard symbol on the back and so was just in the standard Soul Reaper uniform.

"Oh, is the prince asleep?" She asked.

"Yes, Miss Hikifune." Ruala replied softly. "I helped a little; I had to get rid of the Fear."

"Curse that man and his evil Fear." Kirio Hikifune marched over to stand in front of Ruala and looked down at the sleeping prince, noticing the tears in the back of his uniform where Gralio's claws had dug into his back. "Poor boy. Hardly knows what he is and already Dethmaiyn sends his worst after him."

"He sent Gralio because he's efficient." Ruala sighed. "Before Shutara arrived, he managed to inject a lot of Fear in Hitsugaya."

"Now, Ruala, you know you have to call him by his title."

The blonde blinked, confused by the reprimand.

"But he told me not too." She replied.

"Yes, but he's still the prince, which means we have to address him properly even if he doesn't like it. He'll get used to it after a while."

"I want him to trust me, Hikifune. Just like he is now."

The purple haired woman looked down at Toshiro, her gaze softening. When she had seen him arriving from a distance he had looked so nervous and withdrawn, a cold and calculating glare on his face most of the trip. Now, however, he was relaxed and looked, dare she say, quite adorable.

"Did you manage to eradicate the Fear?" Kirio turned back to the petite woman.

"Most of it." Ruala said sadly. "There's some I can't reach, he won't let me in that far yet."

"If you let it simmer it will eventually burn him from the inside out."

"I'm not like Gralio, I won't force my way in." Ruala snapped, startling Kirio. It was one of the few times the girl had raised her voice. "I want him to let me in on his own. It's much easier to destroy Fear that way."

"Oh alright, but you keep a careful eye on him. The Soul King trusts you to take care of his boy."

"I would never betray that trust."

"I know you won't." Kirio smiled, ruffling the girl's hair before leaving.

Once the cook was gone, Ruala gently picked up the white haired child and set him properly into bed before pulling the cover over him. He shifted slightly to be comfortable in his new position but did not wake.

"Your father can't wait to meet you." She whispered, before leaving, taking the haori with her. Sofia remained on the woman's orders, curling up by Toshiro's head and falling asleep.

* * *

**I know, the song was kinda cheesy. It's the song Esmerelda sings in The Hunchback of Notre Dame with slight differences. And considering how much pressure Shiro's under right now, I would think his reaction would be correct, right? After all, he is still young, no matter how much he denies he's a kid, he is one. Enjoy! Or, I guess not, considering how depressing this one seems to be.**


	12. Royal Ties

The next morning, Toshiro woke up and half expected to see his office or hear Rangiku moaning about her hangover. When he saw a large room covered in scarlet in silver his heart sank slightly. He had hoped everything was a dream. He thought he'd heard Momo's voice while he was sleeping and tried to talk to her, but he was too tired to get very far. He did, however, hear her tone shift to relief before she vanished, meaning she must have sensed him somehow and knew he was alright.

A ball of fur at the back of his neck brought him out of his thoughts and made him stiffen, eyes snapping open as he sat up in alarm. His sudden movement made Sofia flip over onto her back and startle her awake. With quick reflexes she flipped herself back over and sat on his pillow, promptly beginning to groom herself as though nothing had happened.

"What are you doing?" He asked, a single eyebrow rising in question.

"Grooming." The cat replied cheekily.

"I meant what are you doing here?" He rolled his eyes.

"Still grooming." She replied with a smirk.

"Fine. WHY are you still here?"

"What, don't like my company?" Sofia stopped grooming and sauntered over to the now empty bedside table. Toshiro noticed his haori was gone but said nothing of it, deciding it was better to forget about it than keep it and dwell on the memories of the past.

"I just want to know why you're here." He sighed as the cat continued to dodge his question.

"Ruala asked me to stay here." Sofia finally replied honestly. "Now come on, we need to go see Shutara and see if she's got something for you to wear."

"What's wrong with my uniform?"

"Can't exactly see your father dressed like a simple Soul Reaper." Sofia replied, leaping onto his lap from the table.

At the tiny cat's words, Toshiro's eyes widened. He hadn't expected to see his father so soon, not when he was still expecting to wake up to Matsumoto and run his squad as Captain.

"Let's go, prince, Shutara takes forever with her outfits. Always has to be perfect with her." Sofia said sarcastically and crawled around behind Hitsugaya and pushed on his back, trying to get him to move. He didn't budge, her tiny frame hardly managing to move him at all.

Curious, her tiny white head peeked back around to see Toshiro's face. Her violet eyes were unable to clearly see what it was the young prince was feeling like her master could. However, her animal senses told her he was nervous and somewhat afraid.

"Your father isn't all that bad." Sofia soothed. "In fact, he tends to be a big softie. He's a wise man, but he always seems to smile."

When Toshiro still didn't budge, Sofia huffed and sat beside him.

"Just so you know, if you don't go to Shutara, she comes to you. Trust me you don't want her to do that." Sofia grinned as Toshiro finally looked at her. "Ruala took your haori to her last night. She'll probably have it with her, though it will look different."

"I don't care about it anymore." Toshiro sighed. "Alright fine, I'll go."

"Good! Time's a wasting!" The cat leaped off of the bed, Toshiro following after her as she trotted back down the hall and into the main room.

The young prince took a moment to calm his nerves to the sound of the tiny creek and rustling greenery. Once done he caught back up to Sofia and through a set of sliding doors leading to another long hallway, though this one had more turns and far more rooms. The white and brown cat led her charge into a room filled with cloth and sewing equipment. Shutara was there, her back to them and obviously focused on something. Sofia meowed loudly and the woman halfway turned to see them.

"Morning, young prince." She smiled before returning to her work. "I'll be with you in just a moment, allow me to finish this."

"What are you doing?" Toshiro questioned, still sounding rather quiet.

"You'll see in a moment." Senjumaru replied mysteriously.

Being a rather nosy cat, Sofia leaped onto the table to investigate.

"No pets." Senjumaru snapped at her, pausing in her work to attempt to push the cat off the table. Toshiro thought he caught sight of something white with icy blue before the woman stood back in front of it.

"I'm a Royal Guard too." The cat hissed back, refusing to let the woman push her off.

"No, you're Ruala's pet. Pardon me for the tone but I don't want your fur getting all over this."

Sofia snorted at her but finally leapt down, sauntering back over to Toshiro and sitting next to him. Her fur seemed ruffled in annoyance and the white haired child smiled slightly at the cat's display of attitude. She was nothing like her master.

Toshiro took a moment to glance around the room. It was well lit with bright lamps and the room extended further back where several other women were busy sewing together clothing. All the cloth was very high priced fabric from what he could tell, as well as his experience in the Kuchiki Manor, and to know he would soon find such things common actually made him nervous. For a boy who'd lived in the Rukongai most of his young life, having to get used to the life of a noble flipped everything he knew upside down.

"Here, done." Senjumaru turned around with something in her arms.

The young prince realized it was his haori, but now it was completely different. The number on the back was gone – Sofia did warn him that it had to be removed – and had been replaced with the symbol now lying invisible on his hand, the ice blue mark of his birthright, with intricate silver and black markings curling outwards from the brand along the back. Instead of the black diamonds along the bottom there was an icy blue dragon curling around lined in silver. The edges of the sleeves were also lined in silver.

"You…you did this in one night?" Toshiro asked, confounded.

"Piece of cake." Senjumaru smirked. "Now put it on."

Stepping over to him, the guardian placed the haori over top of his uniform, the newly decorated robe contrasting sharply to the plain black outfit.

"Thank me later, your father is waiting." Senjumaru winked at him. "Sofia, your turn."

The white cat nodded and led the way back outside, Toshiro following at a slow pace as he admired his new haori. They walked back into the main room before taking the third and final door leading out of it which opened into a study room of sorts, a desk piled with work sitting off in the corner and crimson lamps along the wall. The floor was dark wood, the walls a little lighter and giving off a homey feeling.

"Your father is in there." Sofia said to him, motioning to another sliding door just ahead with silver markings across the cherry wood. He had no idea what they meant.

"Are…are you coming with me?" Toshiro questioned the cat, his nervousness starting to show through a little. He was meeting the Soul King, his father; it was understandable he was nervous in Sofia's eyes.

"Don't be silly, this is your father." Sofia replied, swishing her tail. "The rest of us can only go in when he calls for us; you're the only one who can go in anytime. He's happy to see you."

And with that the white cat left Toshiro in the room by himself.

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, something he practiced often in his Academy days, Toshiro slid the door open and stepped inside.

The room was even bigger than his, one side an open balcony with silver railing, thick crimson curtains at the edges. A small sakura tree rested nearby so that when the wind blew the pink petals dusted across the room – some were on the floor already. The floor was the same cherry wood that persisted throughout the level and there was various furniture scattered around – a large table atop a silver rug with two elegant chairs, two large dressers, a nightstand by the bed, and a desk off to the side with a few stacks of paper there.

Teal eyes were drawn to the large bed with crimson and silver sheets. A figure sat in it, lower half covered by the blankets, the upper half concealed by a silky crimson kimono with silver embroidery. He held all the grace Toshiro expected a king to have, sitting tall with hands folded neatly. The man's skin was pale, suggesting illness and dulling some of the grandeur of his posture. What drew Toshiro the most was the bright white hair that touched the man's shoulders, some spiking up a bit at the top, and crystal blue eyes swirled with emerald that mesmerized him.

Upon noticing the child enter, the man smiled softly at him, beckoning the child over. Unsure what else to do, Toshiro obliged and stepped closer, stopping a foot or two from the bed, and bowed.

"Now now, you have no need to bow to me." The man's voice was husky with age but soft, making the nervousness fade from Toshiro's mind.

While his nervousness was gone, he was still unsure how to react. He stood once more and looked at the man who was his father with something akin to desperation, making the king frown. He wondered if perhaps the white haired child was scared of him.

"Do not fear me, child. I promise you, you are quite safe here."

"It's not that…" Toshiro replied, cursing himself mentally for how shaky his voice sounded.

"Ah…allow me to greet you properly, then." The king smiled gently again. "I am the Soul King, Satoru Hitsugaya. Welcome home, my son."

* * *

**Meant to post this yesterday but I was away from home all day ^^'. Went to a flea market and found a sword booth; they had so many zanpaktous! I felt like a kid in a candy store, i could recognize a lot of them. I really wanted Hyorinmaru but i'm broke T^T. Anyway, Shiro meets his dad! I saved the whole conversation for the next chapter to preserve the feels ^^. You can kinda get the gist of what his dad's like in here, though, and I looked hard to find a name...sadly, I forgot what it meant, but it's supposed to fit his personality. I'll look it up and mention it in the next chapter in the comments. Enjoy!**


	13. Catching Up

With those words it finally seemed to click into place. Now he knew how he'd handled the sudden shift so well; he didn't believe it was truly real. But with the words 'my son' coming from the Soul King's mouth and the fact that they looked so much alike registering in his mind, it all came crashing down on him and he lost the ability to think for a brief moment.

Satoru noticed the emotions flashing by in Toshiro's eyes and he frowned again. He reached a hand out to the boy and Toshiro blinked, looking at it cautiously before taking it and allowing the Soul King to pull him closer.

"I understand you must be feeling rather overwhelmed by this. I, too, wasn't ready for the position when my time came to take charge."

"How did you do it?" Toshiro questioned, voice cracking slightly as his emotions seeped through. "How did you manage to shoulder it all?"

"Well, it wasn't easy." The king sighed. He put an arm over his son's shoulders, pulling him up to sit next to him on the bed. "It took years to master everything before I could take the throne."

"How long do I have?" The young prince could tell his father was deathly ill and that he wouldn't last long.

Clearing his throat, Satoru avoided the subject and instead inspected Toshiro's new haori.

"Goodness, Senjumaru always was over the top." He chuckled. Toshiro gave him an odd glance but decided not to ruin the mood. He was finally getting to meet his father, no sense in souring the mood by discussing his death date.

"I still don't think I deserve this." Toshiro replied, gripping the white fabric and examining the intricately woven head of the icy dragon that held a surprising likeness to Hyorinmaru. She must have looked into his zanpaktou's ability at some point to come so close.

"Of course you do, you're the prince."

"I was raised in the Rukongai where finding even the smallest thing was difficult. Not to mention I was expected to know my place as the freak of the town."

"Freak?" Satoru looked startled and somewhat angry. "If I had known you would be treated that way I never would have sent you there."

"Sent me…?" Toshiro looked at the king in confusion and shock.

The Soul King nodded gravely.

"The minute you were born a darkness rose among the Royal Families that put your life in jeopardy."

"Darkness…the people who are after me?"

"Yes. I realized my time was ending soon and I promised the position of king to one of the suitable members of the Royal Families. His name is Kamai Dethmaiyn."

Just hearing the name made Toshiro shiver involuntarily, though he did not realize it was a reaction caused by the Fear embedded deep in his heart.

"However, when you were born he quickly realized his promised position of power would go to you and not him, since when a Soul Prince is born only he can succeed the throne, and became violent. Upon realizing this I had your mother take you from this realm to a safe place in the Rukongai where the two of you would hide away safely until Kamai could be dealt with. However…"

Toshiro noticed pain in his father's eyes. From that he could tell what happened next.

"He killed her….my mother." Toshiro finished for the man.

Satoru smiled sadly and nodded, his hand gripping Toshiro's shoulder a little tighter.

"When Kirio and Tenjiro brought her body back I was devastated, thinking Kamai had managed to kill you both. However, Ruala found that you were taken in by an old woman in the Rukongai and reported as such to me. While I still grieved over your mother I was happy to know you had survived."

"So even after all these years… Kamai is still trying to take the throne?" Toshiro asked, wanting to get off the dreary subject of his mother's death.

"Unfortunately yes. He won't kill me until he's found you, since we both need to be dead for him to take the throne safely. If he killed me first while you were still alive and unfit for the position, the worlds would crumble. With you out of the way first I'll have no choice but to choose him as my successor and then he will most likely kill me as well."

"So he needs to be stopped." Toshiro narrowed his eyes. Now he was beginning to see everything connect, why he was needed to become Soul King when his father finally wore out and took his last breath.

"The Royal Guards are doing their best to find where he and his demonic minions have hidden themselves." He noticed Toshiro's eyes widen. "Yes, demons. When he found out he would no longer be Soul King he fell to darkness and summoned demons to serve him. He'd be better suited as the King of Hell, but Satan isn't quite ready to fall into his own grave just yet."

"Then…the man who attacked me, Gralio, was he a demon?"

"Not quite but he suits the personality of one." Satoru sighed. "I heard what he did to you and I fear for your soul."

"Why?" Toshiro raised an eyebrow. Yes, what Gralio had done was painful, but he didn't think there was anything else.

"Kamai has found a special kind of poison that's spread through darkness, seeps into the skin like air. He calls it Fear." Satoru remembered what Ruala had told him about the wisps of darkness still tangled deep in Toshiro's soul and frowned. "I was afraid it could never be countered, but I found an antidote."

"What is it?"

"It's the reason Ruala Nakryin became the newest member of the Royal Guard." Toshiro's father let the smile come back. "After she returned from the Rukongai and reported to me you were alive, we found she had the ability to counter Fear. Not to mention her skills in magic. It was soon after she defeated one of Kamai's own guardians by countering their Fear and reversing it onto them that she was made an official member of the Royal Guard."

"So Nakryin has the ability to cure Fear?" Toshiro mused aloud.

"Correct. Since her light counters the darkness of Fear, we started to call it Hope. Cheesy, I know, but Kamai took to it rather quickly and it's the only thing he fears, despite being the Lord of Fear; that's what his demons call him anyway."

"Then if she can counter it, why am I at risk?"

"Because the Fear has latched into the deepest part of your soul, where it will slowly spread when you are afraid or feeling any other negative emotions. Ruala can only push her light as far in as you will allow. It involves trusting her with your very soul, something you probably don't feel comfortable with just yet."

"Trusting her…with my soul?"

"Yes. You have to trust whole heartedly that she won't hurt you, and then she can remove it. If you have even the slightest doubt against her, she can't reach it."

"That's…a lot to ask."

"I know." Satoru nodded. "Just remember, the Fear is still there, and Kamai will attempt to use it against you in any way he can.

"Now, on to happier subjects. I haven't seen you in over a century; I believe there's some catching up to do."

At the man's bright smile, Toshiro couldn't help but grin as well. He had always wondered what his parents were like, whether he was a pure spirit from Soul Society or a human from the World of the Living who died at a terribly young age and lost his memories, he'd always wanted to know his parents. He had a chance to now, and he was NOT about to miss it.

As time passed and he got used to speaking familiarly with the Soul King, Toshiro found he had never trusted someone so quickly, had never been so open with another person before. He wondered if Ruala's ability to see through to the heart of his feelings had already unlocked the gate around his emotions, allowing his father to simply open him up and talk with his son heart to heart. The prince didn't mind though. It had been many years since he could comfortably speak his mind without being looked down upon or hated.

In turn, the Soul King shared some of his feelings and experiences with the boy. In his centuries of ruling over the three realms he had a lot to share, and the power his father seemed to have entranced the young prince as he listened with rapt attention.

"Dear me, it seems to have gotten late rather fast." Satoru glanced outside to see darkness quickly falling. "Goodness, this is the first time I spent an entire day simply talking."

"Will I see you again?" Toshiro asked as he slipped off the bed and stood.

"Anytime, my son."

* * *

**So we finally get to know Satoru better, as well as a little extra on Ruala, and Toshiro gets some bonding time ^^ I also added some insight to what happened to Toshiro's mother and elaborated on how he got to the Rukongai, as well as who the main bad guy is. Kamai is another OC of mine (hm...there's gonna be a lot of them) and most of his elite fighters are all OC's of mine. More on them later. Enjoy!**


	14. Exploration of Possibilities

Now that he was feeling a little more comfortable in his father's realm, he decided to explore the different levels, starting with the one he was on, of course. He knew the hall that led to his father's room, and the one where his room was must be where the living quarters were, so he didn't want to go opening doors, but the hallway where he'd found Shutara sewing had multiple areas and he was curious to see what else was there.

"Curiosity killed the cat you know." Sofia grinned as she came out from the bushes in the garden as he passed by.

"Says you." Toshiro replied quickly, continuing on. She snorted at him.

"Well, I'll stick with you in case you get lost." The small white cat trotted alongside him and together they entered the hallway.

"That would probably be a good idea." He tried to see if he could spot the end, but with the way it forked off further ahead he had no way of knowing how many rooms there were or how long the halls stretched. "How big is this floor?"

The cat only grinned and began walking. From that the young prince surmised it was indeed very big.

"I'll show you to the kitchen. I think Kirio might still be in there." She said, glancing back every now and then to make sure he was following. "You haven't met her yet and she'd be delighted to see you. Be warned, though, she'll probably try to force some food into you."

"Why would she do that?" Toshiro raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, Kirio's the motherly type. It's one of the reasons my master likes her. You're pretty thin for a growing prince so she'll want to fix that."

Frowning, Toshiro debated on lagging behind to look at the other rooms, but decided against it when the cat looked back again. Honestly, he was just going to look around, he wasn't going to run off or anything. Though he supposed getting lost was a bad idea.

Sofia sat in front of the doors that he guessed led to the kitchen and he stepped forward to open them. The room was much larger than he thought it was, and there were actually two sets of doors leading in. Multiple spirits were at work making food, the smell teasing the young prince and making his stomach growl. He hadn't eaten all day.

As if she'd heard the small noise, a plump, purple haired woman was in front of him in an instant. He jumped back in surprise and her grin widened.

"No need to be nervous, Prince!" She slung an arm over his shoulders and he became nervous. "It's a little late but I can cook something up right quick! A growing boy needs good food!"

"I'm not that small." Toshiro frowned as the woman, who he guessed was Kirio Hikifune, pulled him over to a table and sat him down. Some of the others bowed to him in greeting before returning to their work.

"Well I'm not going to lie to you, child, you are a little on the tiny side." Kirio lifted one of his arms, easily able to grasp her hand around it.

"Am not!" He pulled his arm away. He hated being called small.

"Don't worry, once you start growing into your true powers as the Soul King you'll grow."

"I will?" Toshiro perked up at that and Kirio suppressed the urge to laugh.

"Of course. Since you've been stuck in the Soul Society your whole life your true power was suppressed, thus stunting your growth a bit. With a little help from my cooking and some training, that power will start to grow and so will you! After all, your father is rather tall, no reason you shouldn't be as well."

Toshiro thought about that for a moment. He knew one's Spirit Energy tended to grow along with a Soul Reaper, which is why people said they could tell he would be strong considering how much he had despite being so young, but he thought it was about age, not size. He expected to grow eventually and had come to terms with the fact it might take several decades to do so but he didn't think his short stature would be because his power was locked away.

"Wait…what does food have to do with it?" Teal eyes looked at her curiously.

"It's one of my specialties." Kirio grinned and moved away for a moment to start on something. "I can merge Spirit Energy into the food I make, which will give you a boost in waking up that sleeping power of yours. Usually I make a nice big feast which takes up all my Spirit Energy, slimming me back down, and I have to bulk up again before the next one," she chuckled and patted her large belly, "but I'll only use some of it since it's just you."

"I didn't think it was possible to do that."

"I learned how to do it ages ago. I was the Squad Twelve Captain before that Kurotsuchi bloke, and even before Urahara. Both masterminds if I ever saw one but with the cost of their sanity."

"Can't argue there." Toshiro laid his head on his arms, those resting atop the table, as he waited. He WAS hungry, and there was plenty of time to look through the other rooms tomorrow. "Oh…where's Sofia."

Kirio looked back at the doors before returning to her pan.

"She's being a good pet and staying out of the kitchen. I don't care what animal form she takes I don't want her near the food unless I'm giving it to her."

"I see."

As he waited, Toshiro chatted idly with his zanpaktou. The ice dragon seemed to find his current situation amusing, reminding his master of how excited he'd looked when Hikifune had told him he'd grow. The young prince then ignored his dragon before snapping up as a large plate of food was put in front of him, along with several smaller plates. The purple haired woman did look a little slimmed down, though not by much.

"Um…there's no way I can eat all that." Toshiro's wide eyes turned to the chef.

"Another thing about my food is you can't stop eating it." Kirio patted his head and he frowned; he was starting to dislike her motherly nature. "Whatever you don't finish Sofia can have."

As if called by a whistle, that cat was sitting next to the young prince expectantly. Instead of shooing her away as Toshiro thought she would, Kirio laughed at the animal before sitting down across from the boy.

"I only kick her out when I'm cooking." Kirio explained at Toshiro perplexed glance. "Now eat or she'll take it all from under your nose."

There was a low rumble and Toshiro blushed slightly, a hand to his stomach. If he was going to eat he might as well do it now, he supposed. He took a bite and was quick to realize what she meant by 'can't stop eating'. It was absolutely delicious and he doubted anything could compare. Was it the Spirit Energy she'd infused into it or was she truly just that good of a cook. He thought perhaps it was a mix of the two. He didn't forget about Sofia, though, and put a plate down on the seat next to him for her to chow down on. She purred loudly as she ate.

He finished quicker than he expected to and heard Kirio chuckle.

"Anytime you're hungry just come on by." She smiled gently at him. "Now go on, it's getting late and you need to start training tomorrow."

"Why so soon?" Toshiro frowned.

"I'm sure you've felt it, the drain on your energy." She had a serious expression on now as the young prince nodded. "You need to raise your Spirit Energy so it won't do that. Too long at this level, despite how much power you do have, and you'll be too drained to do anything, which is definitely bad news."

Well, so much for exploring.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Oh I won't be training you tomorrow, Ruala is. She's going to be using a special kind of training she developed to raise your Spirit Energy. It's how she can use so much Kido and magic without breaking a sweat."

"Yup." Sofia nodded and swallowed her mouthful of food. "My master has a unique way of raising and recovering Spirit Energy. She might even teach you some of her magic once your Spirit Energy is high enough."

Kirio pointedly looked at the cat and Sofia tensed. Toshiro did not miss this exchange.

"She'll probably wait until you're better prepared though. After all, you have a lot to learn before you can take the throne."

"Sofia will be taking you to Ruala's kingdom early tomorrow, so make sure to get some rest." Kirio put a smile back on before vanishing among the kitchen and its inhabitants.

Said cat finished the last bite of food and sauntered back over to the door. Toshiro got up and was quick to follow. He knew the way back to his room but wanted to ask the small cat more about her master.

"So what is Nakryin's kingdom like?" He asked.

"Lots of trees, very wild." Sofia shrugged. "And lots of animals. Just so you know, not all of her animals are normal looking, nor are they all cute and harmless. She can tame any beast she wants, but that doesn't mean they're nice to others."

"I'll keep that in mind…" Dangerous animals? Would they take part in his training tomorrow?

"You might like her pet dragons though, considering your zanpaktou spirit is one." Sofia remarked and Toshiro was far more interested in seeing Ruala's kingdom.

"She has dragons?"

"Yes, around five or so. Most of them are pretty small for dragons but one of them is enormous and actually doesn't live on the kingdom, only visits every now and then for something important. One of the dragons living with my master is the big dragon's daughter so she'll come around to check up on her."

"Are they like Hyorinmaru?"

"Hm…I think one of them has ice powers but they all look more like the western dragons, not the long and skinny eastern kind. Most of them are still too young to breathe fire or some other element but they can still be vicious."

"I would expect nothing less from dragons."

Sofia turned back to grin at him before looking ahead again. They were back in the main room and Toshiro moved away from the cat towards the balcony, looking for Ruala's kingdom. Hers was easy to spot from this height as it was covered in forest, probably the largest of the six kingdoms, with a waterfall going off the edge in certain spots down into the lake below. How the water got back up he wasn't sure but he suspected magic on her part.

"Hers is the biggest because she keeps all the dangerous animals away from the surface. People are grateful to her for that." Sofia explained, leaping onto the thick railing beside him.

"Kirinji mentioned only one Royal Family living with her." Toshiro turned to the white cat.

"Yup, the Greenleaf Family. I've heard that there aren't any male heirs because if there had been, your father would have picked him to succeed instead of Dethmaiyn. The Greenleaf Family has always been powerful but mostly consisted of women. Your mother was actually a part of the Greenleaf Family."

"She was?"

"Yes. So in a way, you'll get to meet your extended family tomorrow." The cat grinned mischievously. "I think your mother was the Head of House's sister, and the Head of House has two daughters. One of them sort of adopted my master as a sister while the other can be a little rough around the edges. I heard they had a cousin but she was never mentioned again so I guess it was just a silly rumor. Also, I heard that Ælfwyn, the one who adopted my master, did have a son but he died some time ago thanks to the demons."

"Dethmaiyn has destroyed so many…" Toshiro leaned on the railing, his head over his arms.

"He wanted to make sure the more popular Greenleaf Family didn't have a chance of succeeding him."

The young prince let out a heavy sigh; perhaps he should just get some sleep. It was terribly dark outside with only a thin crescent moon overhead and his full stomach was making him drowsy. He had more questions, like why the names of those associated with Ruala seemed so foreign compared to the others, but could wait until tomorrow when he met them.

Sofia followed him this time as he headed back to his room and dropped onto his bed, too tired to remove his new haori or pull the blankets over him. Shrugging, the white cat curled up with him and went to sleep. They would both need their energy for tomorrow.

* * *

**So I've gotten behind on my work for school and really need to get back to it. So, I may start posting later, with a day or two between each chapter. Sorry, but my mom's decided to start breathing down my neck about it and with school a month away I do need to get working. I have a painting to finish and a book to read. Sorry!**

**Moving on. So we find out where Toshiro's mom comes from and a little hint at what's to come in future chapters. The Greenleaf family are all going to be OC's of mine. The daughters are my elf character, though they won't be elves here. I won't say anything about the mother yet ^^ Their living style will be very similar to how the elves in Lord of the Rings and Eragon lived. They'll dress similarly too. Let's just consider Ruala's kingdom a very elven type place, way different than Toshiro is used to ^^ Enjoy!**


	15. Trial by Fire

"So…how are we getting over there?" Hitsugaya had followed his small cat guide to the top of the palace through a quick trick of the stairs. They were facing the direction of Ruala's home.

"Flying, of course." Sofia grinned before beginning to glow.

"What kind of animals can you turn into?" Toshiro muttered to himself as he watched the once tiny cat morph into something rather large, at least twice as tall as he was.

His question was answered as Sofia became a white furred creature with four short legs with brown paws and a long furry tail that ended in a fan of brown-tipped white feathers. Her neck was a long with a canine head, long ears tipped in brown. What's more, she had large wings of white feathers. She looked like a furry dragon of sorts.

Violet eyes, same as always, looked at the young prince with a glance that said 'now get on my back'.

"Are you sure?" A little skeptical about climbing onto the creature's back, Toshiro took a step back instead.

Sofia rolled her eyes and instead reached over him, grabbing the back of his haori, a plain white one this time with short sleeves and dark red lining, gently with her mouth.

"Hey!" He objected to being picked up.

She set him down just behind her wing joints and he shifted a little to be more comfortable, gripping tightly onto the soft fur. She sent him a look accompanied with a growl that told him 'pull any out and I'll skin you alive'. He loosened his hold slightly.

Without warning, Sofia lifted off the top of the palace and dove downward past the edge. Toshiro pressed himself against her furry body so the wind wouldn't try and rip him off, his years of flying in his Bankai form aiding him in remaining calm. His only discomfort now was that he couldn't control where he was flying. Once Sofia was going fast enough she spread her wings and the wind carried her back up.

Slight movements of her wings and tail allowed her to race towards the forested kingdom of her master. They'd be there in moments, a minute tops at their speed. Sofia looked back to check on her rider, surprised to see he was rather calm about things. Most flyers were either screaming or laughing their heads off. He was looking around in a sort of fascination at the landscape from this view but didn't seem all that worried about the flying.

Deciding to have a little fun, Sofia tucked in a wing and rolled to the side, feeling his grip on her fur tighten.

"Sofia!" He yelled, not happy with the change in flight.

He felt her laugh beneath him and scowled. This is why he preferred flying on his own. The furry dragon suddenly launched herself upward, climbing higher and higher into the sky.

'_**She's trying to have a little fun, join in.**_' Hyorinmaru offered, rather enjoying the flight.

'_I thought I was supposed to be training!_'

'_**Maybe she's trying to help you loosen up, then. Enjoy it while you can, I know you love to fly.**_'

'_Not like this, she's crazy._' Sofia stopped climbing and twisted through the air, making him a little dizzy. He shook it off quickly but was finding it harder to deny that it was a little fun.

'_**Oh just relax and enjoy the ride. Not every day you get to ride a dragon. And don't bring up Bankai, because you're using your own wings, not flying on an actual dragon.**_' Toshiro silenced. '_**Good. Now, have some fun, Master.**_'

'_You're crazy._'

Shifting himself a little he realized he could tell what Sofia was about to do, feeling the movement of her muscles beneath him. He saw her turn back to him with a grin and this time, he grinned back.

And then she dove.

Straight down to the forested kingdom below. A lightning quick dive downward to a miniature lake near the center of the floating forest. The dragon was playing a game of chicken. Smirking, he held on tighter, refusing to tell her to pull up. The lake got bigger and bigger, until Toshiro thought they'd actually crash into it.

Sofia flared her wings out and her feet skimmed the surface of the water, the force of wind made by their speeding through the air creating a wave. That was close. Toshiro found himself laughing, the close call having scrambled his thoughts. Animals near the water darted away as Sofia brushed past.

Finally she slowed down, flapping her wings several times to slow their descent before landing gracefully in a field. Ruala was there, smiling softly, along with a large black and brown wolf. The wolf darted away quickly when the girl motioned for him to leave.

"I see Sofia took you for quite the ride." Ruala giggled, pointing out his spikier than usual hair. He ran a hand through it to try and calm down the strays before shrugging and leaving it alone.

"I had no control over that." Toshiro replied, returning to his passive expression.

The furry dragon snorted before shifting into a small white bird and perching on her master's shoulder. She chirped something and Ruala grinned knowingly.

"Alright then, I suppose we should get started." Ruala bowed her head. "Follow me."

"What are we doing?" Toshiro questioned as the Royal Guard made her way towards the single mountain. It was small for a mountain but still impressive.

"A technique I learned to raise Spirit Energy." She replied. After speaking to Kirio, Ruala seemed quieter than before, and he walked a little closer to hear her. "It will be difficult."

"It's something I need to do, though."

She simply nodded this time.

They stopped at the base of the mountain where a thin and winding trail wormed its way up and around to what he guessed was the top. It seemed like it would take two or three hours at most to climb. With Flash step, though, he guessed it would take only a few minutes. The mountain was only a few yards taller than the Sokyoku Hill if he judged it right.

"You must make your way to the top alone." Ruala said and he turned to her with surprise. "There will be trials, each one will test you and help you raise your Spirit Energy. You may not even make it to the top today."

Sofia leaped off her master's shoulder and flitted around in front of him with small tweets.

"She can guide you, but she will not help you with the trials." Ruala explained.

Teal eyes turned to the mountain path. The stones seemed sharp, meaning he definitely didn't want to hit one, and the path long. He had no doubt Ruala's magic would make it much longer, and the trials would be daunting. He took a deep breath and prepared to start up the trail. Whether he wanted to or not, he had to become Soul King, and this was a start. He needed to get stronger.

A weight was lifted off his back and he was quick to realize that Hyorinmaru had been stolen from him.

"Hey!" He whipped around to face Ruala. A large bird snatched the blade from her hands and carried it up to the mountain.

"The first few trials must be done without your zanpaktou." Ruala explained, her voice a little higher than before. She was serious.

"You can't just take a Soul Reaper's zanpaktou!"

"Hitsugaya, you're the first Soul Prince to ever wield a zanpaktou at the start of their training. It wasn't until it was time for them to take the throne did they earn one. You must pass the same trials they did, but your advantage will end up disabling you. You cannot depend on Hyorinmaru for these trials."

He scowled at her, very upset with the circumstances. Most of his skill was with zanjutsu. He was adept at hand-to-hand combat, yes, but it wasn't his strong suit and Kido was just a fallback for him.

"Fine…" There was no point arguing anyway, considering his sword was now somewhere up in the mountains with a giant eagle.

"Be careful."

The young prince just sighed and looked ahead with his normal cold expression. He set out and Ruala watched him go, a frown on her face. His trust in her had just dropped significantly, but it had to be done. If he depended on the strength of his zanpaktou his Spirit Energy would not rise as it should in these trials.

"Watch him carefully, Sofia." Ruala whispered to the tiny bird. "There is a point where it cannot be raised anymore and he will only end up losing power. Don't let him exhaust himself to that point."

Chirping in reply, Sofia darted off before landing gently on the boy's shoulder, rustling her feathers so he knew she was there. He spared her a glance but kept moving up the path.

The walk up was silent save for the occasional chirp from Sofia at his shoulder or the distant cry of an animal. He'd sometimes kick a rock ahead of him, wondering when something would show up. He kept on alert for anything. Hyorinmaru was strangely silent, which unnerved him. Was the spirit not allowed to even speak with him either? He hated this already and hadn't even found the first trial.

Something up ahead caught his attention and Sofia lifted off his shoulder, flitting ahead of him. There was a rock jutting out from the mountainside and he ducked behind it before looking out ahead at what was blocking his path.

It was a wolf…or at least he thought it was. A bright red wolf sat in front of a door. What was the door doing in the middle of a mountain path? Whatever the case, the wolf was in his way. It had bright amber fire enveloping its orange paws, crimson fur dotted with black like coal. It had three tails that faded from red, to orange, to bright blazing yellow. A fiery yellow mane burned down its back.

The wolf looked calmly ahead with amber eyes like liquid flame, a smile on its foxlike face.

'_Great, a fire wolf of some kind. My exact opposite._' Toshiro growled to himself.

He moved further behind the boulder, wondering what he was supposed to do here. He was an ice wielder without his zanpaktou up against a wolf made of fire. All the trials had something to do with raising his Spirit Energy. Could it be he needed to put out the wolf's fire somehow? But then what was through the door? The wolf seemed intelligent so perhaps it wouldn't attack on sight. Cautiously, he stepped out from behind the boulder and began moving towards the fiery creature.

It watched him approach calmly until he was a few feet away, where the boy stopped.

"I'm assuming you're the first trial." Toshiro said aloud. The fire wolf tilted its head before grinning.

"Correct. Show me proof of your birthright."

That was easy enough. Toshiro held his right hand up and let his power raise just enough to reveal the icy mark. The foxlike wolf nodded to show he saw.

"Your power is that of ice and water." The wolf said. "This is the first time I have had to do this trial for a Soul Prince, but I can be sure it will be difficult for you."

The wolf stood, Hitsugaya tensing, before kicking open the door behind it. Instead of seeing through to the other side of the path, there was darkness swirling inside the doorway. More of Ruala's magic, he guessed. The wolf stepped inside and Sofia flitted by only to go inside as well. He supposed he was meant to follow and, with a deep breath, stepped into the darkness.

The breath was knocked right out of him as he walked into a chamber surrounded by roaring flames. He felt like he was in the middle of the Head Captain's Shikai and thought this was pretty close to how Aizen, Ichimaru and Tosen felt when trapped by those same flames. To him, though, it was much worse.

The wolf watched him calmly from the center of the black platform. The door behind Toshiro vanished, leaving him no escape from the towering fires.

"If you can counter my fire with your ice, the first part of my trial is done." The wolf explained. "Then you shall fight with me."

It was everything Toshiro could do not to pass out from heat exhaustion right there. How was he supposed to put out such towering flames without Hyorinmaru's ice? Beginning to feel drained, he fell to his knees, letting his Spiritual Pressure flare as high as he could to try and douse the fire. But it was useless. The most ice he could make was a thin sheet in a tiny circle around him.

"I…I can't!" Toshiro snapped at the fire wolf.

"Your Spirit Energy is low." The wolf sighed. "How do the Soul Reapers raise their Spirit Energy?"

"Through meditation and training with their zanpaktou."

"What a roundabout way." The wolf snorted, sitting down in the center. "Every Soul King before you had more Spirit Energy than all thirteen Captains combined when they first earned their zanpaktou."

"How?" Toshiro began to cough as smoke started coming down from the ceiling in wisps. With a jerk of the wolf's head the black air rose back up, allowing him to breathe.

"Sheer willpower."

Teal eyes widened. That was possible?

"Through force of will, past Soul Kings raised their Spirit Energy. It took time, but it was feasible. I'm sure any decent Soul Reaper can tell you they felt more powerful than before after fighting, forcing out their power, not sitting around chatting with their inner spirits."

The young prince thought about that. There was a perfect example of what the wolf was saying; Ichigo Kurosaki. The boy had a high amount of Spirit Energy from the beginning, sure, but Toshiro had never seen someone learn how to control and use it as quickly as the Substitute did. When he'd asked about it in a sort of offhanded way, Ichigo had just shrugged and replied that he pushed on, because he HAD to get stronger. He didn't give up until he got the power he wanted, and to his luck that power rose willingly to his call.

But Toshiro had thought it was just luck, tricks played by Kisuke to train the half Soul Reaper into a strong enough warrior to fight Aizen.

Then there was Bankai training. To earn that power, zanpaktous forced their masters to fight for it. Yet he still couldn't believe that all it took was willpower.

Perhaps he shouldn't say it like that. Willpower alone was a complicated affair. He just needed to be absolute like Kurosaki was. He needed this power or the worlds would collapse. If he could just find the power sleeping within him like Kirio had said, this fire should be no problem. He'd mastered Bankai faster than anyone except Ichigo, had become the youngest Captain in Soul Society's history. Surely he could put out a fire with willpower.

His ice circle melted and he scowled. This was not easy.

* * *

**Not much to see of the kingdom, I know, but Shiro's a busy prince. He's got power to awaken and not much time to do it. Blazefang was a wolf I made a long time ago to represent Fire in a story of mine that ended up getting trashed, but I kept the character. Good thing, too, he turned out to be useful. Anyway, the rest of the trial will continue into the next chapter. Enjoy!**


	16. Dousing Flame with Water

Sofia had become a small salamander, immune to flame thanks to the bright green flames surrounding her, and was watching the young prince struggle to fight off the heat. She wanted to give him some confidence, to tell him that these flames would have already incinerated any normal Soul Reaper. His fellow Captains would have already fallen to the blaze, not that the fire wolf would have allowed them in anyway. But she couldn't say a word, could only watch him struggle.

The boy didn't even have Hyorinmaru to offer him advice; he was purely alone in this trial. But it was necessary. One didn't rise to power and keep it with a crutch to lean on. Toshiro's father didn't even have a zanpaktou anymore and had managed to drive off Kamai's army time and time again, just long enough to let his people recover and hold the worlds together. The missing sword was the reason Toshiro's father was dying, though. He was exhausting himself.

"I was told you were strong." The fire wolf sighed and Toshiro glared at him. "They praised your position as youngest Captain, went on about how you'll be a mighty Soul King considering the power you already have. But if this is what they meant, I fear the end of days will come when your father lies dead."

"You're not exactly making this easy." Toshiro snapped back, forcing himself to his feet.

"Actually, I am." The wolf smirked as Toshiro froze, startled. "I come from Ruala's land, a land where the elementals rule. I am one of those elementals, Blazefang. Fire like this is as easy to create as breathing."

'_This isn't even his best and I can hardly stand!?_'

"You're obviously not trying to find your power if these candle flames can evaporate you power. Prove to me that ice can conquer fire; prove to me that water can douse my pure flame!"

Eyes narrowing, Toshiro released as much of his power as he could. If he had done so in the Soul Society, the sky would be dark with clouds and a quarter of the city would be frozen over, a blizzard raging around him wherever he walked. It would have killed any Soul Reaper too weak to handle his Spiritual Pressure.

But in the presence of the inferno around him all that stirred was a bitter wind that quickly turned hot again. It was obvious he was trying as the brand on his hand glowed a little brighter than before, an icy white light radiating from his body.

"Your ice is weak." Blazefang noted. "Like putting a single ice cube in a campfire. It will only melt and become nothing. Become the blizzard; make my fire look like a candle placed in the Arctic."

Toshiro had never tried to make his Spiritual Pressure so strong. He'd always been afraid that if he had he would freeze over the Soul Society. He was afraid he would hurt people he didn't want to hurt. He was quick to use Bankai but only because it gave him a little better control.

Here, however, he had to let his power rise or he would be consumed by fire.

Blazefang watched the boy carefully. It was beginning to cool down but not nearly enough. He wasn't finding the wellspring of power locked inside of him since birth. It was obvious they boy had chained it down even more, afraid he would hurt others. For good reason, too. The power of the Soul King was far too much for simple Soul Reapers, and the young prince was a fast learner.

"Deep inside your soul is a power like no other." Blazefang said in a clam tone. Toshiro opened one eye to look at the wolf, having shut them tight as he tried to force out his power. "When you went to the Rukongai it was locked away, fearing that even as a child you would damage others around you with that power. It was a precaution worth taking, considering how fast your powers grew even without your true strength.

"But now is the time to unlock it. If I must tear apart the chains binding it down I will, but you will not like it. Unlock it yourself, and watch as you earn a power far beyond anything you could imagine. Cast aside your fear of it and embrace it!"

'_It's…locked away?_' Hitsugaya closed his eyes again, mentally searching for anything. He recalled a dark part of his Inner World that he never went to. Hyorinmaru would stray away from it, as uncertain about it as he was, but would sometimes be seen staring into it. Could the ice dragon have found a way to draw upon that power? Is that why he was such a fast learner?

He couldn't exactly meditate and go to his Inner World in the middle of this blaze, so he had to find a way to unlock it without the usual method. Besides, his Inner World seemed to be as wild as outside, snow flying everywhere. His dragon was nowhere to be seen from the blurry image he could see without diving into the icy landscape himself.

'_How do I get to it?_'

The blaze seemed to be pushing down on him. Was Blazefang making his fire stronger? He pushed against the fire until it let up, but he was starting to feel tired. If he didn't find a way to get to the power the wolf had told him about he'd be toast, literally.

'_I can't lose…_' He tried harder, he needed that power. '_If I can't even make it past the first trial…I'm hopeless. Hyorinmaru would never speak to me again for being so weak._'

Blazefang lifted his head, ears perked. He could smell water…from where? He knew the boy's power utilized water in the air, but the tiny ice circle he'd managed earlier was already evaporated and dried out. There should be no water on this platform. The wolf grinned…the young prince was making it. He made the fire stronger and saw Toshiro grimace.

'_Am I getting weaker?_' He pushed back as much as he could only for it to weigh down on him once more. '_Dammit! Why can't I find it?_'

He opened his eyes to see what the wolf was doing, but saw only blackness. He could hear the sound of the roaring flames, feel its pressure. But he seemed to be in darkness, floating in the air. He could not see what he heard and felt.

'_What's going on?_'

A cold wind brushed past him and he looked forward. The wind he felt inside, the same as when Hyorinmaru touched him while he was still interacting with reality.

'_Could this be…that dark area in my Inner World?_' He pushed towards it. The temperature got colder as he went, getting him excited. Had he found his power, the one locked away since his birth?

He blinked, finding himself standing in front of blank black door in the middle of nowhere. At least he could stand on solid ground now, stepping towards the new obstacle. He wondered what he was supposed to do with the door. It had no handle nor could it be pushed aside, considering it was firmly attached to the ground by shadows.

'_If this is the power of a Soul King, what I inherited from my father…_' he looked down at his right hand, the icy brand glowing faintly there, '_then it needs proof of my birthright._'

He put his hand to the door, hoping that would work. He faintly remembered something Ruala had once said. The hand of royals is the key…perhaps her prophecies did have multiple meanings. Then…the power of spirits is the sight…despite it being as high as he could release in reality, he let his Spiritual Pressure flare higher, mentally this time.

The symbol on his hand glowed pure white now, a copy appearing in a larger form on the door. He moved his hand to the center and now the one on the door glowed white.

'_I did it!_' The door vanished and light flooded the darkness of his Inner World.

Blazefang took a few steps back as the tiny wisps of Spiritual Pressure around Hitsugaya suddenly became thick beams of light. He howled loudly and his flames stretched higher into the sky. The floor began to glow white hot and Sofia in her salamander form was beginning to feel suppressed by the white hot flames.

She jumped up and used her tiny fangs to bite the wolf's ear as a clear message: don't push him too hard.

"He's only beginning to show his true powers." Blazefang replied and lit himself ablaze as well.

Toshiro opened his eyes, no longer struggling against the flames despite their intensity. Much like Ichigo's eyes glowed light blue when he exerted a lot of his power, Toshiro's had gone from teal to icy white, matching the color of his Spiritual Pressure as it rose above him in an icy blaze.

"Your blizzard is still lacking, young prince." Blazefang goaded. His fire wasn't out yet, Toshiro needed to use his new power to douse the flames.

"You wanted proof that ice could conquer fire." Toshiro stated calmly. The blazing wolf grinned. "Here is your proof."

He held his hand in front of him before thrusting it to the side. In response, a bitter wind stirred in the air and began to suffocate the white flames. As the temperature cooled, Toshiro was able to summon the water to him and froze the floor over, dulling it back to black beneath the fire wolf's feet. Steam rose as the flames on Blazefang's paws fought against the ice covering the platform.

Toshiro turned to the flames circling the platform. He'd never felt so powerful, but he was careful not to let it get to his head. All he had to do was put out the fire, nothing more. Even without Hyorinmaru, the ice followed his every thought. He held his hand out like he was using a Kido spell and watched with silent fascination as ice shot up from the ground in an icy wave and enveloped the inferno. Steam rose as the two opposite elements fought, but eventually Hitsugaya's power won out and the room became deathly cold.

"I recall only one other Soul King to have ice powers like yours." Blazefang said and Toshiro turned back to him, lowering the intensity of his power. "I stayed out of the Soul King's realm during his reign, but I'd heard of him. I believe he was an ancestor of yours."

The young prince did not reply and Sofia could see he was beginning to tire out from how much energy he'd used. He may have found where his true power came from but that didn't mean he was used to using it. Morphing into her cat form to both stay warm and speak, she trotted towards him.

"Your Spirit Energy has been raised quite a bit, perhaps you should rest." She offered.

Though he seemed to think about it, Toshiro eventually shook his head.

"You told me putting out your flame was only the first step." He looked pointedly at Blazefang. "Fighting you was the next."

"I did say that, yes. But you have only just retrieved your true power. Even Lady Ruala would have you rest now. Get used to your new power and recover what you've used up. I will be waiting."

"I'm going to at least pass the first trial today."

"I did not expect you to even get this far." The wolf let his flames die down on his body. "You've surpassed my expectations, Soul Prince. But…I do not think you're worthy of king yet. Not until you can prove to me your power in a fight with me. If you think my trial is difficult, you will not survive the next one."

"Hitsugaya, you can't raise your Spirit Energy any higher until you can handle how much you have now." Sofia warned, concerned. The young prince still seemed ready to fight at any given moment. "You may have unlocked it but your body can only handle so much at a time. You need to rest. My master expected this training to take several weeks even putting into consideration how fast your power grew in the soul Society."

Hesitation. Good. Blazefang summoned the dark portal and Toshiro turned to it before glancing back at the fire wolf.

"Tomorrow." He promised the beast. "Tomorrow I beat you."

"If you can, Ice Prince."

The white haired child stepped into the darkness, Sofia close behind him, and the fire wolf grinned. He liked this ice wielding prince much better than the last one. His ancestor's reign had been a grueling one indeed.

"I look forward to the day you become king, Toshiro Hitsugaya."

* * *

**Alright, first part of the trial done with, hehe. So Shiro now has more power than ever and will still be growing it over the course of these trials. After all, the King has to be the strongest of all. So yeah, Toshiro managed to douse the fires, but now he's gotta fight the wolf. After some sleep, of course.**


	17. Meeting Dragons and Relatives

The portal brought Toshiro and his follower to the base of the mountain where Ruala awaited them. Upon stepping out of the dark room where he'd fought off flames, Toshiro felt his exhaustion meet him and fell to the ground. His body protested to any movement, making it a chore just to push himself to a sitting position.

"Easy there, you're feeling the effects of using so much of your Spirit Energy at once." Sofia warned. Ruala approached and helped the tired boy to his feet.

The small cat morphed into another animal, this one a white mare with a light brown mane and tail, and Ruala helped Toshiro up onto her back. Once up, he laid his head down on the horse's neck and simply lay there. Sofia stayed a gentle walk so as not to move him too much as Ruala led the animal away from the mountain and into the forest.

"May I have Hyorinmaru back?" The young prince asked, lifting his head slightly.

"Your zanpaktou will be waiting for you up the mountain. While on the mountain you can't speak to him, as I'm sure you've noticed, but you'll be able to now."

He frowned, still unhappy with having his sword taken from him, but was content with being able to at least speak to his dragon again.

"How many trials are there?" Toshiro questioned as they walked, closing his eyes.

"Five." Ruala answered. "There are five levels to raising one's Spirit Energy."

"What is the one I'm doing now?"

"Finding its source."

"Haven't I done that?" He opened his eyes and lifted his head up again.

"You've opened the gate to douse your opponent's power, but you have yet to find your power's source. That is where the fighting comes in. Your opponent will force you to find it through battle."

Sighing, he put his head back down. Five trials, several weeks. This was going to be grueling.

After about another hour of walking, they made it to what he supposed was Ruala's home. It seemed to be woven from the trees themselves, protected above by a thick canopy of green. Another building was constructed in the normal fashion off to the side with no doors, only a large opening. When a panther came strutting out before darting off into the forest, he assumed that home was for Ruala's animal companions. The walk had given him time to recover a little from his exhaustion, though he was still sore, and he dismounted the white mare to walk beside the Royal Guard.

While Sofia trotted off to see to the creatures, Ruala led the young prince to her home. It was hard to tell what exactly was inside but it seemed big enough with how many trees curved their way into its structure. The doors opened easily and Toshiro was met upon entry by the smell of fruit and warm colors. He had expected everything to be made from the trees inside as well as out, but while it was wood it was all delicately carved and had a dark stain painted on it. It felt homey in a wild sort of way.

"There's Ruala!" A voice shouted, startling the young prince as someone darted out from another room and grabbed the blonde girl into a tight hug. "Sis was wondering how long you were going to take."

The woman was blonde as well, though hers strayed more towards dark gold than Ruala's white, and had dark brown eyes, a smirk on her face. She dressed in black silk, her shirt fitting like a kimono, only shorter, but her pants fitting a more medieval fashion. A silver dragon curled its way up the pant leg in shining silk.

"I was training the prince." Ruala argued with the woman.

The woman then turned to the small boy with her and looked him over carefully.

"Well…I did not expect that." The woman stepped over to the boy and he scowled, waiting for the comment about his height. "Ruala didn't tell me you were a dragon boy." Well, that was different.

"How did you know that?" Toshiro narrowed his eyes.

"I've lived with them; I can tell when they've picked someone special. So who's the dragon?"

"My zanpaktou, Hyorinmaru."

"Oh so their zanpaktou now." The woman threw her arms up in exasperation. "Lived with these giant lizards for centuries and they still surprise me."

She continued to grumble to herself as she walked away from them, leaving Toshiro completely confused. She had to be one of the Greenleaf Family members considering she lived here, meaning they were cousins in a way. If this was how she acted for first impressions, he wasn't really keen to get to know her.

"That was Ralæn Greenleaf." Ruala explained. "She's…a little hard to keep up with."

"I can tell…" Toshiro nodded.

The girl motioned for him to step further inside and he did so. They stepped into an open spaced area further back that was covered in grass, an opening in the canopy above them. Ruala closed the door behind them as Toshiro stared ahead at yet another shocking discovery.

A dragon. A living dragon. Sofia was one thing as she could transform into anything. But just being in the same room he could tell a real dragon was far different, and far more powerful. The creature's Spiritual Pressure felt wild, but was finely controlled and rather comforting to him. This dragon had bright, violet scales with swirls of sapphire that shimmered in the light. Her forelegs were also her wings, light blue in color with ivory claws tucked in close to her thin body while her hind legs had definite muscle shape, though still thin. A violet mane of fur ran down her neck to the tip of her tail and her belly was lighter blue in color like her wings. Her horns were short but dark purple, matching midnight purple eyes.

Upon his entry, the dragon, which had to stand at least ten feet tall, turned her gaze on him.

"This is Lilianna, young prince." A soft voice said and Toshiro turned to a second female figure, one he hadn't noticed with the dragon's presence distracting him. She looked just like Ralæn, part of her hair braided back and eyes a little lighter brown. Unlike her sister she wore white in the form of a sweeping silk dress with golden embroidery around the edge.

"Pleasure to meet you." Lilianna dipped her head in greeting.

"Um…pleasure to meet you too."

The dragon chuckled at his nervous reply.

"I will not harm a fellow dragon."

"I'm not a dragon." Toshiro raised an eyebrow in curiosity, finding his voice again.

"But within your spirit lives one. To hurt you would harm that dragon, therefore I will not harm you. Not that I would harm the Soul Prince either, mind you." She laughed, seeming to find that funny.

"Ælfwyn." Ruala called out to the woman.

Understanding something in her tone that Toshiro didn't catch, the woman stepped away from the dragon and off to the side, Ruala joining her for a private conversation.

"I sense you are hesitant, dragonling." Lilianna had her attention on the young prince now.

"Dragonling?"

"Baby dragon."

Toshiro's brow twitched. Even the dragons were calling him a kid now. Great, Hyorinmaru would never shut up about this one.

'_**They're technically calling me that too.**_' Hyorinmaru snorted.

'_Well then, dragonling, we suffer together._'

"Why are you hesitant?" Lilianna brought his attention back to her.

"I'm not sure…I didn't even know I was hesitant."

"Come over here, dragonling, and sit beside me."

"Please don't call me that." Toshiro sighed but stepped over to the violet dragon's side anyway. Her tail curled up around him which oddly comforted him.

"But that is what you are to me." Lilianna chuckled. "I'm a small dragon but I am by no means young. I hold no special power other than that of memory and wisdom."

"May I ask how old you are?"

Lilianna threw back her head and laughed.

"Many many cycles, dragonling. It's best not told. Now, you have questions, and not just about age. Feel free to ask away."

Toshiro sorted through the many questions in his head. He did have quite a lot.

"This place…everyone's names…I don't recognize their origin. Most of what I've seen is Japanese."

"Ah yes. The Greenleaf Family stems from a long line of nobles in the Celtic regions, or what is now Scotland and Ireland. Or rather, they stem from a more magical race that once lived there. They survive no longer in the mortal realms but through this family they live on."

"Magical race?"

"They went by many names. Elves, Witches, Pagans, the list goes on. They weren't thought of fondly but they were a truly powerful branch of humans, much like Quincies."

"What makes them different then?"

The dragon thought for a moment and Toshiro took the chance to glance at Ruala. She wasn't a member of the family, she was adopted in. What did that make her?

"Well, Quincies were actually taught by ancestors of the Greenleaf Family. However, the original way of fighting was through use of magic. As Quincies leaned more towards eradicating Hollows and not the demons they were taught to fight, they became different from the others. The power they were given was meant to destroy demons, horrible creatures that unbalance the cycle of souls as they attempt to escape Hell. Satan actually prefers for them to be destroyed; he hates when they escape his prison.

"However, the Quincies wanted to destroy the Hollows, who they thought were demons after the souls of the dead. The ancestors of the Greenleaf Family did not follow, knowing full well the destruction of Hollows warranted death by the Soul Reapers. They remained demon hunters and witches, and eventually found themselves among the Royal Families for their services, while the Quincies were wiped out."

"And Ruala, what is she?"

"Ah, Lady Ruala. She is rarer still than the witches. Not many like her even make it to the Soul Society, their power too strange. Her kind was a race of outcasts, freaks. She is far from human without being completely un-human, and everyone fears her for it."

Toshiro turned to the woman sadly, understanding how she felt.

"Ruala cannot earn a zanpaktou because her spirit already has a partner bonded to it, a familiar: Sofia." Lilianna continued. "But despite her differences she proved her loyalty to the world she was born in and was rewarded a home and a family. She cares not for the powers that separate her from others and instead embraces what she shares."

"Her magic…is it the same as the Greenleaf Family power?" Hitsugaya looked back at the violet dragon.

"It originates from the same source but she has developed it in entirely different ways. Through training in the five trials, the very same you are now going through, she made her power even stronger so she could advance her magic to its limit. But while her magic is strong, her weakness is her inability to trust others. She's had issues in the past due to being an outcast and she's very careful about who she answers to."

"I can understand that."

The dragon rumbled and turned her purple gaze on the two women.

"This kingdom is helping her to overcome that fear. She can be a good judge of character if only she could set aside her own shyness."

There was a pause as Toshiro wondered what to ask next. The dragon was obviously a living library by how quickly she put out information and he wanted to learn what he could while she was here.

"Can you tell me what the five trials are?" He dared. Ruala had avoided the subject but he wanted to know what he was in for.

"The first is finding the source of your power. This can only be done through battle when your heart searches for the wellspring inside overflowing with power. The second is controlling its flow. You'll find once you've hit the source of your power that sometimes you won't be able to control it, and as a Soul Prince your power can kill. To control it a spirit will guide you through strict courses where you will need to control just how much you let out. The third is a more finite form of control, controlling where it goes. With thought you can focus your Spiritual Pressure on a single point, leaving those around that target unaffected as they would be by a normal Soul reaper."

"So the next two trials are about control?"

"Yes. One is how much you're letting out, and the other is where you're letting it out to. Two completely different forms of control. It's like opening and closing the valve on a water hose to pointing the hose in the direction you want the water to go. It's two different actions altogether."

"I didn't need the simile." Toshiro smirked slightly and Lilianna chuckled.

"A smart dragonling, I see. Continuing on, the fourth trial will be to form your unique power into a physical manifestation of sorts. If I recall there was a Captain capable of doing such, though his control of the manifestation was poor."

"Kenpachi Zaraki, Squad Eleven Captain."

"Ah, a Kenpachi. I knew there was a Soul Reaper who could do it but I never learned his name. But yes, you will need to do something similar like that as a spirit leads you on to finding out how to do so. By controlling your power into a physical weapon or even a creature, you will be armed without ever needing a weapon."

'_**Oh thanks.**_' Hyorinmaru growled.

"The fifth trial will be the most daunting. You must prove in a free for all battle that you have control over your power. I cannot tell you the details of that test but you will be allowed your zanpaktou in this final trial. Your power with it will be far stronger once you reach that point and you may find a slight change. Don't worry, Hyorinmaru will still be an ice dragon, but his attacks will be more powerful than before and more controlled."

"How high do you think my Spirit Energy will be when I finish these trials?"

Lilianna grinned mysteriously.

"Judging by what you earned simply unlocking your true power, I'd say at least ten times stronger than your Bankai power as a Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

* * *

**Well well, it's time to power up Shiro ^^ And his first real, living dragon. Must be strange for him... He's just used to the one in his head, hehe. Some background on the Greenleaf Family as he gets to meet those two ladies (they're twins, by the way) and a little more on Ruala as well. Considering the Soul King rules over all branches of the Soul Society I would figure there would be other cultures among the kingdom. Anyway, he's got things to do in the next chapter. Enjoy!**


	18. Hesitation

Toshiro could not sleep that night.

'_I'll be ten times stronger than my Bankai?_' He put his head in his hands. That was an insane amount of power. Even Ichigo probably couldn't top that…well, give him three days with a doll made by Kisuke and he might. But still!

The Greenleaf Family, of which the Head of House seemed to be out at the moment, offered him their guest room for the few weeks he'd be training so he wouldn't have to go back and forth all the time. Compared to the others he'd met in the palace, they were a little more carefree in the way they spoke to him. They still called him prince or sometimes even Your Highness, to which he had spat out what he was drinking and gaped, but they said it in a more informal manner. He put it down to their Celtic roots, though he doubted all of them were this informal with nobles. It reminded him of Momo and Rangiku and…

…and Karin.

He still regretted not getting to say goodbye to her. She was probably swearing up a storm at home. He'd seen her do that first-hand the last time one of her friends left somewhere without telling her, and seeing as she considered him a friend whether he wanted her to or not she was probably doing it again.

Not like he could visit her now. Until he had better control over his new power, he'd probably crush her to the pavement the minute he got within range of her. If he remembered right she'd be about sixteen or even seventeen now, around the same age Ichigo learned to use his powers. He knew she had pretty high amounts of power herself for a human her age, just like her brother, and he wondered if she'd developed any Soul Reaper powers. Not that she'd tell him, of course, or her brother.

'_**You're daydreaming about her again.**_' Hyorinmaru rumbled.

'_You act like I do that a lot, which I don't._' Toshiro argued.

'_**More than you think, master.**_'

'_Yeah, right._' He sighed. '_I'm just wondering if she has Soul Reaper powers. At least the Soul Society won't make a big deal out of it considering her dad is a Soul Reaper and her brother saved the world._'

'_**Let's hope she isn't too strong or her dad might just be feeling her wrath at your absence.**_'

'_She beats him to a pulp anyway. He's too soft on his daughters._'

'_**Well, it's understandable with Yuzu.**_'

'_No one threatens that Kurosaki unless they want the other three breathing down their necks._' He shivered, remembering Rangiku telling him of what Ichigo had done to a creep attempting to lure the innocent Kurosaki twin into an alley to take advantage of her. Needless to say the man didn't leave the hospital because he was afraid the Substitute would find him again.

'_**You should really get some sleep.**_' His dragon said.

'_Alright already._' Sighing again, Toshiro lay down and attempted to get some sleep. '_Maybe…maybe after I can control my Spirit Energy I'll go see Karin…just to say goodbye, at least, so she's not mad at me._'

The ice dragon wanted to make a jab at how he was worried about her being mad at him but kept quiet, knowing the young prince needed his sleep. With how tired he had been after coming off the mountain he could tell these trials would be hard on him, and he wanted to be back in his master's hands as much as Toshiro wanted him back.

Toshiro was awoken by a small brown paw poking his cheek.

"Stop it, Sofia." He grumbled, eyes still shut.

"Ooh, I knew you were a bad morning person." The she-cat snickered. "Last time you didn't even like that I was in the same room as you."

One teal eye opened to glare at her and with a final foxlike grin she leaped off of him and sauntered out the door, tail high in victory.

"Damn cat." Toshiro growled but got out of bed anyway. He wanted to get a move on with the trials.

The twins, as he'd learned when speaking to them at dinner, greeted him kindly and with a lot of energy. Curse these forest people; they always seemed to be perky at dawn. After they fed him breakfast, Ruala led him back to the base of the mountain.

"The spirit of the first trial will begin his fight with you today." Ruala said quietly, as always.

"How come you speak like you don't know who the first spirit is?" Toshiro asked. "Didn't you also take these trials?"

The girl blinked, surprised, before thinking about how to answer.

"The spirits are always different." She replied. "The one who will challenge you most in that trial will be the one to greet you. Who is your first spirit?"

"A fire wolf called Blazefang."

"Ah…" She gave a tiny smile. "Fire against ice. Blazefang taught me outside the trials, he was not a part of it."

"So who was your first spirit?"

"A shadow beast who only called himself Hunter. I was afraid of darkness when I first started these trials."

"Then I'm guessing the source of your power is light?" Toshiro pointed out.

She nodded.

"Your father calls it Hope."

"I remember…I guess I shouldn't leave him waiting." With Sofia in her bird form once more and on his shoulder, the young prince set out on the familiar path.

It was simple enough to get back to the familiar door with Blazefang resting in front of it.

"Your determined air has increased." The wolf grinned. "Perhaps you can defeat me in one day. Don't lose that cold fire of yours, prince. It may be the only thing keeping you alive."

Narrowing his eyes at the wolf, Toshiro said nothing. Blazefang stood and kicked the doors open again and they returned to the platform. The ice had melted but there was no fire either, small white lights around the edge and the wolf's own fire being their only light in the darkness.

"Now…" Blazefang turned around partly to face the young prince. "You showed me that water could douse my flame in our last encounter. But you have not yet proven that ice can conquer fire."

The wolf became coated in flames, bright white flames that lit up the room and made it hard to look straight at him.

"Show me what your power can do." Blazefang continued, crouching low as a wolf would do before pouncing. Toshiro became tense and held his arms up as though to fight using hand-to-hand. "Show me the power of the Ice Prince."

Fiery pressure began to weigh down on his body and Toshiro instinctively raised his Spiritual Pressure to counter it. This would be a battle of Spiritual Pressure, it seemed, whose was stronger. To prove it was his he would need to find the source. Scowling, Toshiro closed his eyes to attempt to search for it.

He sensed the wolf leap and quickly opened his eyes, dodging out of the way. Looks like there was more to the battle than he thought.

"Do not hesitate to harm me, prince. As long as fire exists so shall I. You can defeat me, but you cannot kill me. Now fight! Let your power out from its source and give me your worst!"

The wolf snarled at him and leaped again. By reflex, Toshiro reached back for his sword only to remember Hyorinmaru was at the top of the mountain, waiting for him to complete the trials. Since that option was out, he attempted a repeat of yesterday, letting his Spiritual Pressure flare wildly, wincing slightly as his body began to feel heavy. He wasn't used to that amount of power yet.

But it backed the wolf off as a blast of cold hit him, knocking him back a few feet.

"Stronger, prince." Blazefang growled. "That little chill won't stop me."

"I can't handle that much!" Toshiro growled back.

"You're holding it in, that's why."

"No, I can't handle that much power running through my body at once."

The wolf lifted out of his crouch, head high.

"There is still hesitation in your heart." Blazefang said calmly and Toshiro frowned, eyes narrowing. What did he mean? Lilianna had said the same thing. "You're not ready for this part of the trial, not until you are rid of what is making you hesitate."

The wolf flicked his three tails to the side and the dark portal opened.

"No, wait!" Toshiro scowled. "I'm not giving up that easily!"

"There is something you are afraid of, prince, something that prevents you from using your power to its full potential. Your body may not be used to that much power, but it will not hurt you. You will be sore, like yesterday, but you will not be beyond recovery.

"No, something else makes you hesitate…" The wolf stepped closer to Toshiro. "What is it you fear, Ice Prince? Why are you afraid to become stronger?"

Toshiro did not answer at first, only glared at the wolf. His Spiritual Pressure had fallen again, making him approachable by the wolf of flames. Keeping his space, however, Blazefang awaited an answer patiently. The boy had to find these things out on his own to move past them.

"Nakryin told me I could go back to the Soul Society to visit my friends." Toshiro said quietly after a moment. "But…when I spoke to the dragon Lilianna, she said my power would make me at least ten times stronger than I was before at my best. If that's true…going back to the Soul Society…is impossible."

"Yes, without control you cannot return or risk hurting those you care about." Blazefang nodded. Toshiro turned away, sadness in his eyes. "But listen closely prince, you can control it."

The boy did not look back at him and the wolf sighed.

"Do you remember Sosuke Aizen?"

The fire of hate that suddenly burned within those teal depths made it obvious that yes, he remembered Aizen.

"When he became merged with the Hogyoku, his power was so much that no one could sense his Spiritual Pressure. It was so all consuming they felt he didn't have any at all. That is what your power will be like to them.

"However," Blazefang was quick to bring Toshiro attention back to him as the boy scoffed and turned away, "With control, you can lower it down enough so they can sense you, so you don't hurt them. With finite enough control you can lock your power away and unlock it at will in order to protect the ones you care about. There is hope of returning to your friends."

Looking a little more hopeful than before, Toshiro turned back to the wolf.

"What about humans?" This question surprised the wolf. He had expected Soul Reaper friends; he had not known there was a human friend.

"If this friend has high enough Spirit Energy of their own, they should be fine. Who is this human friend, pray tell?"

"A Kurosaki."

"Ah, the Kurosakis." Blazefang grinned. It made more sense now. "I have heard of the famous Ichigo Kurosaki. But considering the fact that you're worried about hurting one of them and Ichigo has enough power of his own to survive even here in the Soul King's Realm, I can assume you mean one of his sisters?"

"Yes. We met when I was stationed in the World of the Living and, whether I want her to or not, she considers me a friend."

Blazefang grinned knowingly at that before standing and walking back to the center.

"Being a Kurosaki she shouldn't have a problem being near you if you control it well enough as you would with your fellow Soul Reapers. Now, stop hesitating and let out the blizzard!"

Clenching his hands into fists, Toshiro hardened his gaze at the opponent and released his hold on his power. Hot and cold air fought for dominance between wolf and prince.

"Find the source, prince." Blazefang reminded, crouching low again. "Come at me with all of your power!"

* * *

**Nope! No fight for you! ^^ Three more chapters and then Karin comes in, I swear! I know it's taking forever but that chapter will focus on her ^^ and then there's a time skip... stuff happens...yeah. Well, anyway, Shiro is now on his way to powering up. He's just gotta get past the flame wolf...and his own hesitation ;) Enjoy!**


	19. Source of the Blizzard

"Ow." Toshiro groaned, not wanting to get off the ground. He was sore all over and it took far too much effort just to move a hand.

"Well…I can say you almost won." Sofia purred, licking the boy's cheek with her rough feline tongue.

"I felt like I had it." He frowned. "My Spiritual Pressure was out of my control at that point, I didn't want to try any higher."

While fighting off the wolf cloaked in flames, Toshiro had gotten closer and closer to the center of the dark area where his true power nestled in his soul, an area in his Inner World that even Hyorinmaru could not find his way through. Now that he was off the mountain again, the dragon had returned and was attempting to ease some of the soreness out of his master's limbs.

Ruala knelt beside him, applying Healing Kido to recover enough of his Spirit Energy so as to overcome the soreness and walk back home. Too much and it would just pressure him more, making it worse.

"You still have the rest of the day." She said. "Perhaps falling back onto old tricks will help you get used to your power?"

"You mean meditation?" Toshiro managed to turn his head slightly to look at her.

She nodded.

"Probably." He sighed. "I'd promised him I'd beat him today."

"The day is not yet over."

Toshiro turned to the guardian in surprise. Was she suggesting that he keep trying? Well, he couldn't go back right now, not when it hurt to sit up. Maybe after a little meditation. When she'd finished healing him she began to walk back home, apparently not expecting him to follow. How did she know?

Shaking that thought out of his mind the young prince stood and instead trudged through the forest in the direction of the lake. The water would help calm his thoughts and put him at ease. It took quite a trek but he took it gladly, for now keeping a slow walk to clear his mind in the peaceful serenity of the forest. He could see why Ruala liked it here. Nothing barred his path though he could sense the Spiritual Pressures of various creatures in the shadows. They ignored him, so he ignored them.

Once at the edge of the lake he sat at the water's edge, not caring that it would occasionally touch his feet with cold liquid. It was actually quite relaxing. Even though it felt strange to do so without his sword, Toshiro closed his eyes and dove into his Inner World.

The icy world seemed empty. With his sword taken from him, he could only speak to Hyorinmaru, not see him. It was infuriating to say the least.

But now was not the time for that. The fastest way to get his dragon back was to complete the trials, and that meant finding this 'source' hidden within the depths of his soul. With determination he set out towards the shadowy area in his Inner World. It had shapes in it now, icy shadows of what was supposed to be there. With how close he had gotten to the center before, it was beginning to become clearer. It was not an extension of the natural icy landscape; it seemed to present itself as a lake. He would climb downward, feeling like there was water caressing him as he walked, and walk through shadows of underwater features and wisps of serpentine ghosts.

As he walked towards the center, there grew more shadows. In reality, as he walked closer, ice began to spread outwards around him. The lake began to freeze over, frost coating the grass and trees, though magic kept them alive. Inside he met resistance, which he had come to learn was his hesitation to reach higher power. When it got strong enough to become a forceful gale he paused and stared hard into the depths from which the wind came. In truth he felt a little nervous. His power was dangerous, one of the few that had a physical form when he released it. Most only exerted pressure when their Spiritual Pressure rose, but his power created ice when he let it rise, his power changed the weather itself. Just like Yamamoto created scorching flames when he released his power.

The wind became more forceful and he lifted his arms up to protect his face from the stinging air currents. Not good.

'_**Remember what made you hesitate.**_' Hyorinmaru's voice echoed faintly, unable to go into the dark realm with his master. '_**Find a way to get over it.**_'

'_I hesitate because I'm afraid I'll hurt the people I care about._' Toshiro thought in reply. '_I know I will learn how to control it, so why am I still afraid?_'

'_**Is there more to it than fearing for your friends? Could it be you fear hurting yourself? Or, perhaps, you fear the change?**_'

Toshiro chewed on that thought for a moment. Could that be the problem? Was fearing for his friends just an excuse? He remembered how he had reacted when Lilianna had told him how much stronger he would be once he could control his power, how he had been worried if he could stand up to that kind of strength.

"I'm still small." He said aloud, knowing truth was the only way to get past this obstacle. "My body can't handle that much power. But…I won't get anywhere if I don't try."

The wind began to die down.

"I need this power. Even if it takes weeks to get used to it, I have to find it. To protect the Soul Society."

The wind weakened enough that he could begin walking through it again, determination practically wafting off of him. The area he passed gained light and shape just like the other parts of this shadowy lake. It was all so strange. Why was there a lake in a landscape of ice anyway? Shouldn't it be frozen over, considering the water he brought to him always did so? And how come he could walk on its bottom?

The wind started to pressure him again as he got closer.

"I'm not turning back now." Toshiro scowled at it as best he could. It lessened its intensity, even tousling his hair fondly as if greeting him. The icy mark on his hand began to glow white again as he pressed on.

'_**You must still fear something if it continues to pressure you.**_' Hyorinmaru's voice was nearly impossible to hear now. It unnerved the young prince to be moving away from his zanpaktou like this.

That's when it occurred to him.

'_Hyorinmaru…I'm afraid to lose you._' He stopped his approach and looked behind him, wanting more than ever to see his guardian dragon. He saw only darkness and ghosts.

When all he could hear was the wind brushing past him, Toshiro panicked a little. Was he past the point where he couldn't hear Hyorinmaru anymore? He was about to step away, out of the shadows, the wind even strengthening as if to help him get out.

'_**Do not take one step back.**_' Hyorinmaru snapped and Toshiro froze. '_**Your fear is misplaced, master. I will always be with you. If either of us changes we change together. I will wait for you atop the mountain.**_'

"The further I go the less I can sense you." Toshiro argued.

'_**Then work hard to find me again. You heard my voice before despite your age, I have no doubt that you will find me again.**_'

A cold wind blew through the darkness, pushing back towards the center; Hyorinmaru's way of telling him to move on. Not about to disregard the dragon's wishes, Toshiro turned back to the darkness, two different winds colliding around him. Steeling himself, the young prince ran into the darkness, Hyorinmaru's icy wind behind him pushing him through as far as it could.

'_I will find you again, Hyorinmaru. It's a promise._'

A faint rumble answered him.

The wind pushing past him no longer hindered him, instead pulling him in, helping him run faster. The darkness was beginning to lighten as he got closer to its center, the landscape around him becoming clearer. It wasn't wind trying to block him, but water currents and more of the ghostly serpents. He could see something ahead and ran faster, hoping he'd found what he was looking for. As he got closer he swore he could hear whispers, faint murmurs that only strayed for a moment.

He reached the strange object at the center of this watery world. It was a small pedestal made of blackened ice. Flowing in the water in a small bubble above that pedestal was a diamond shaped crystal made of ice in its purest form and just by looking at it he could tell it was harder than even diamonds. A small light grew in the gem's center, drawing him in. Entranced, Toshiro reached for the small object.

The second his finger touched the bubble a sharp stab of pain ran up his arm and he jerked back.

'_That must mean I'm still hesitating._' Toshiro scowled, quickly shaking off the pain and taking a deep breath. He wasn't hurt; it was just a phantom pain. '_What else do I fear?_'

He feared hurting his friends. But once he learned control he wouldn't hurt them.

He feared hurting himself. Again, with finite control his body would soon grow accustomed to his power and he wouldn't hurt himself.

He feared losing Hyorinmaru. He had just promised to find the dragon again and was not about to break it.

So what did he still fear? He didn't understand what else it could be, didn't know what would be holding him back. He reached for the gem again but still it rejected him.

"What do I have to do, dammit?" He growled at the offending stone.

Something shimmered just behind the pedestal and he looked up. There was a mirror there, pitch black with no reflection. The gem glowed brighter and light shot out from it to the mirror, causing it to glow and create a vision.

Toshiro saw himself standing atop the palace, a cruel smirk on his lips with ice covering the landscape.

"I fear…myself?" Toshiro hadn't realized he said this aloud but by doing so the answer became obvious. "Can't get any more cliché than that…"

His mirror image turned on him, teal eye filled with malice.

"You saw what happened the last time someone gained this much power." He said. "So you're afraid to do the same. You fear becoming me."

"You're right." Toshiro glared. "But I won't become like you."

"How can you be so sure?" His evil self smirked. "Fear is embedded in your soul, Ice Prince. How do you know it won't steal away your heart and make you a demon?"

"I'll fight it to the last ounce of my strength." Hitsugaya reached for the gem again, managing to break through the bubble before it pushed him back.

"What kind of answer is that?" The mirror him snorted as though disappointed. "You're too young to keep what you feel under wraps for long. You've had practice, I'll give you that, but in a battle of fear you're quick to act, leaving behind your prodigy status. It won't take long for Fear to consume you."

Toshiro scowled at the mirror.

"See, hatred is the first emotion you show from under that icy façade." The being snickered. It was strange to see this coming from a mirror image of himself. "Once you've unlocked the power in that gem you'll only use it to kill the people you don't like."

"That's not what I want it for at all." The young prince growled back and his mirror self quickly frowned. "I never thought I'd have to copy that annoying Substitute Soul Reaper, but I fight to protect, not to kill. When I fought to kill I nearly lost my life. When Kurosaki fights to protect he somehow manages to destroy his enemies, but doesn't always kill them. It's safe to say I'm taking a leaf out of his book and putting it to use."

"How can you protect others if you can't protect yourself?"

"That's why I need this power." Toshiro tried one last time to reach into the sphere of air. It pushed back but not hard enough to deal pain. He pushed harder. "Once I can control it, I know I can protect them. All of them."

The mirror faded, a kinder smile on the inside being's face. With its disappearance the bubble of air dispersed and Toshiro closed his hand around the gem. Light blinded him as a sort of soothing cold washed over him.

Ruala perked her head up from inside her animals' house. The creatures began to shift nervously as they felt it as well. Inside the house, both Greenleaf twins paused in their work to look outside. There was a sudden chill that washed over them.

On the mountain path, Blazefang grinned.

* * *

**Some deep stuff here, pals. Deep stuff. So Toshiro learns to get through his hesitation and find the source of his power, which in a mental world of course has a physical form, hence the ice crystal. He won't be able to speak to Hyorinmaru for a while, saddening, but it will only make him work harder on the trials (a few of which i'm skipping). Enjoy!**


	20. Ice Conquers Flame

"Here for another go?" The fiery wolf questioned calmly.

Toshiro stood before him again as the sun began to set. There seemed to be a difference to the way he stood, a rigidness to his posture, and his hand was clenched tightly around something. Though it was obvious he was trying to suppress it, his Spiritual Pressure was drifting off his body in small tendrils of icy-white light. Blazefang had to let his power out in order to keep his fire burning near the boy.

"I promised I'd beat you today." Toshiro replied.

Blazefang nodded and once more opened the doors, stepping into the portal with the young prince close behind him. He immediately set himself ablaze once inside, and just in time too as Toshiro let some of his control slip. Ice shot out from under his feet and covered the platform in a thick layer, the wolf digging his claws in so as not to slip. His normally intense white flame seemed muffled by the brilliance of the ice around him. Before it was a little rough, a darker sheen to it to prove his underdeveloped skill. But now it held a lighter color and his flame reflected off of the cold crystals in various colors.

"Impressive. It seems you've already found the source of your power." Blazefang extended his flames to counter the intense cold, white fire fighting for dominance with white-blue ice. "I shall attempt one last attack. If you truly have found your power, it will not reach you. If you survive, my trial is finished."

Toshiro held his hand up, the one closed tightly, and finally released his hold on the object inside. In his Inner World he held the pure ice crystal, still standing in the depths of the lake. In reality he held a blazing ice-fire that unleashed a blizzard around them.

"I'm ready." He said to the wolf.

Blazefang held nothing back. Fire raised high above them in a scorching inferno and threatened to consume the blizzard in its heat. The cold intensified.

'_He's not controlling it._' Blazefang noted, seeing how Toshiro's stance was still rigid, eyes blank. '_But that's not what he's here for. This is definitely the power at his core. All I need to do now is exhaust it before he loses total control and bring him to Lady Ruala._'

He let out a long, piercing howl and his inferno increased in intensity. If he had let such power loose outside this room the entire forest kingdom would be ablaze and his flame would be quickly spreading. The young prince flinched slightly as he felt its pressure but quickly reacted, lifting the hand with the white light high above him. Winds roared and ice spiked up from the ground, Blazefang using a heated updraft to lift off the floor. The tornado of fire was trapped to the center with snow whirling around outside of it.

'_Come on, Ice Prince, exhaust your power. Before it takes hold of you…use it all!_'

The wolf snarled and dove downwards towards the white haired child. His fire followed, roaring to life and twisting around in the wind to come at its target.

Sensing the danger, Toshiro held his hand out in front of him towards the diving canine. With a massive burst of Spiritual Pressure, a wave of ice-water rose in front of him and smashed into the oncoming fire. There was an explosion as ice and fire collided and knocked Toshiro to the edge, shocking him out of his stupor. Stunned, he turned to see where the wolf was, his blizzard dying down with no fire to be seen. Had he killed the beast? That was not his intention…he'd reacted instinctively.

"Well done, Ice Prince." Teal eyes snapped to the source of the voice and found the wolf sitting calmly in the center. However, there was no fire on the wolf, no color. He was a pale white like the ash left behind from a fire, and he looked far older than before. "You're power is stronger than I expected. Pardon me while I stumble around like an elder man."

The wolf stood, though obviously with a little effort, and approached Toshiro.

"I…I'm sorry. I sort of…lost control." Toshiro bowed his head.

"No need, I figured that would happen. My test is just to find that power. The next spirit gets the task of teaching you to control it. My last attack was to force you to exhaust your power before it consumed your mind."

Once the wolf mentioned it, Toshiro realized how exhausted he was. He couldn't even stand up yet and his arms shook as they tried to support even his small weight.

"I may be a little creaky in my ash state, but I can at least get you back to Lady Ruala in one piece. The girls will be glad to know you've passed."

"I did promise." The boy smirked slightly.

"That you did, Prince Hitsugaya." The wolf offered his back and Toshiro accepted, though it took effort to move his limbs enough to mount. "I should have known you'd keep your promise from the look in your eyes when you said it. You're a determined dragonling."

"Did you get that from Lilianna?" Toshiro scowled at the name as the wolf moved through the portal and away from the mountain. Toshiro had come to accept that the outgoing portal always took one straight to the beginning of the path.

"Ah, you've met the Dragon Keeper. No, I did not get that name from her; I can sense the dragon in your spirit. Being a dragon herself I'm sure she could which is why she'd call you that."

"I'd prefer not to be called that."

"The dragons will not listen, but that is probably a good thing. There is one absolute rule among dragons and that is NEVER to attack dragonlings. As long as they consider you one they will not ever attack you and if they must they will protect you."

"Why?"

"Dragons are a dying species. Even rival dragons will assist each other if it means their species will live on through their young. Over time that has turned into an instinct, to protect the young dragons no matter whom they belong to. So, I suggest you learn to live with it, dragonling, because the dragons aren't going to stop."

"You're not a dragon." Toshiro pointed out.

"Oh but I am. Anything that holds ties to fire I can be, and dragons are among my best friends."

"Then why a wolf?"

"This form was gifted to me by Lady Ruala so I could interact with physical beings and souls."

They were nearing the Greenleaf home, to Toshiro's surprise. The wolf walked faster than he seemed to.

"For someone who's exhausted their power, you're rather alert." Blazefang commented, spotting Ruala running towards them with Sofia as a horse beside her. "I suppose that's a survival trick beaten into you from your days as a Soul Reaper."

"Wouldn't say beaten in… more like forcefully learned." Toshiro rather painfully dismounted the ashen wolf only to find his legs would not hold him up. He gripped the wolf's fur tight to try and keep a standing position.

"I suggest lots of sleep." Blazefang turned away from him to Ruala as the guardian offered her support to the prince, relieving him of the boy's death grip. "He did wonderfully, Lady Ruala. The second spirit will enjoy teaching him."

The girl simply nodded and watched the wolf vanish back into the forest with surprising speed. Her attention now focused on Toshiro as she helped the boy walk towards the house. With how low his Spirit Energy was, it was best he took the next day to rest and recover it. She'd call Kirio in for her specialty and perhaps introduce the boy to a few new friends.

Toshiro went straight to bed and fell quickly asleep. Just before oblivion took him he heard the pleased rumble of a familiar dragon and grinned in his sleep.

* * *

**Kind of a short chapter, sorry. I think maybe i'll go ahead and post the next one later in the afternoon, after I get some painting done. Then tomorrow we can start the day off with a chapter on Karin XD Bet you're all excited now, lol. So Shiro completed the first trial now and is getting some much needed sleep. You can probably figure out who forced him to learn vigilance while tired ;) silly Captain Shiba. Enjoy!**


	21. Two Icy Partners

Light assaulted his eyes from the window and the young prince groaned, pulling the covers up over his head. They felt oddly cold, which warranted curiosity, and he opened his eyes enough to see why the blanket felt so stiff.

It was coated in frost.

"Oops." He forced himself to sit up, despite how sore he felt, and noticed the entire room was in fact covered in frost. He wondered how badly frozen it would be when he recovered all of his Spirit Energy. This hadn't happened since he'd entered the Shinou Academy.

A delicious smell met his nose and he forgot about his frosted room to walk into the kitchen instead, startled to find Kirio there.

"Hikifune." He said with surprise and the purple haired woman turned to him. She seemed much slimmer than before. One look at the table explained why; there was food covering the entire length.

"Ah, you're awake!" The woman greeted him happily and he frowned; why was everyone such a morning person? "Go on, sit down. The girls will be here momentarily. Ruala said she was going into the forest to find someone."

Toshiro went ahead and sat down where Sofia jumped onto his lap. She purred as he scratched her behind the ears.

"When did you get here?" He asked the guardian.

"Just this morning." Kirio shuffled back over to check on various other dishes she was preparing. "Ruala knew you'd be short on Spirit Energy so she asked me to come over last night to perform my specialty! Don't worry you'll have all your energy back before you know it."

"I much prefer flying you over in your slimmer form." Sofia snorted with a grin.

Kirio Flash Stepped over to pinch the cat on the ear before returning to her work and acting like it didn't happen. Sofia hissed and jumped off Toshiro's lap to hide beneath the chair.

"I heard you met one of the dragons." Kirio attempted small talk.

"I did." Toshiro nodded. "Lilianna."

"She's such a lovely dragon, isn't she? Impeccable memory, too, wish I had that."

"Wouldn't everyone?"

That got the woman to laugh.

Ralæn walked in then, setting her zanpaktou to the side before taking a seat across from Toshiro. The boy's gaze lingered on the sword before looking away.

"Really, Kirio, we're not feeding the animals too." The woman smirked.

"You can be sure Prince Hitsugaya will be starving, and you and your sister both eat more than you think." Kirio pointed a large spoon at the blonde.

"When it's your cooking, yeah." She shrugged.

The two woman continued to converse while Toshiro ignored them and coaxed Sofia back out from under the chair and into his lap. He idly wondered who it was Ruala was trying to find. He was told no one else lived in the kingdom except her animals and the Greenleaf Family. Was it the Head of House she was attempting to find? Where was that woman, anyway? He'd only met her daughters and their pets. Well, some of their pets.

Ælfwyn soon joined them with her silent grace, Toshiro hardly noticing her appearance until she sat beside him with a smile and greeted him with the same energy she had the day before. He greeted her in return as he was used to doing but made it clear he wasn't awake enough for conversation. She obliged and instead joined the conversation between the cook and her sister.

When Ruala finally joined them, Toshiro attempted to search for whoever it was she had been looking for but saw no one new. He frowned, somewhat disappointed, but didn't let it bother him for long as Kirio finished up her cooking and sat down with them. The woman had slimmed down quite a lot, now a busty woman with bright blue eyes. She let her hair down out of its bun in thick curls. She looked almost completely different. Kirio noticed Toshiro's confused expression and laughed.

"I told you, didn't I?" She grinned. "My cooking takes a lot of my Spirit Energy so I slim down when I make big meals. Won't be able to make another feast until I plump back up so enjoy this one while it lasts!"

With that she started eating, preventing Toshiro from asking any questions, though his stomach stopped that anyway and he started eating as well.

What the five of them didn't eat, Sofia did. She even morphed into her panther form so as to do so quicker. The girls all giggled at that while Toshiro just rolled his eyes. It was like having lunch with Rangiku and her drinking buddies, only minus the alcohol. As his thoughts began to stray back to his life as a Captain he forced himself to instead wonder who it was Ruala had gone to visit. He was dying to know, especially now that he was trying to use it as a distraction.

"Hikifune said you were looking for someone." Toshiro said to the quiet blonde.

Ruala seemed confused for a moment before she remembered what she'd been doing that morning and nodded.

"Follow me." She said and pardoned herself from the table, walking outside. Curious, Toshiro followed. "He doesn't normally come out but he's interested in meeting you."

Well, there went the idea of meeting the Head of House. That meant it was a beast of some sort. But what kind, and why interested in him?

Upon stepping outside he was met with another dragon. He probably should have expected it, but it still surprised him to see one standing before him. This dragon was a dark blue in color with icy blue eyes that held a playful air. He was obviously young, scales still looking soft and only about eight or nine feet tall. There were sea-green stripes down his back and on his muscular canine legs. Short black spines that grew like armor plates ran down the dragon's spine and the back of his forelegs, two short horns on his head, one on his forehead and the other partway down his nose. Large blue wings were tucked in close to his body.

"This is Myndræl." Ruala introduced the young dragon. "He's only thirty years old and hasn't developed his ice power yet."

"He's an ice dragon?" Toshiro's eyes widened.

"I am." Myndræl smiled before bowing low, tucking one forepaw underneath him. "When Lady Ruala said there was another ice dragon here I was excited to see who."

"I'm not the ice dragon." Toshiro countered. "My zanpaktou spirit is a dragon of ice and water."

"You are his master, right?" The blue dragon questioned. Toshiro nodded a little hesitantly. "Then by dragon terms you are an ice dragon as well."

"You're not going to start calling me dragonling too, are you?"

Myndræl laughed.

"No because I'm one too. In fact, you're older than me, so calling you dragonling would be disrespectful."

"Good, I don't like being called that."

He heard Ruala giggle and glared. He didn't find that funny.

"Dragons of the same type stay together." Ruala hid her laughter for now. "Myndræl wishes to know if you would allow him to be your companion."

"I've already got one ice dragon." The young prince frowned. "Or, at least, I did. You hid him up on the mountain, which I'm still not happy about."

"I was hoping you could teach me." Myndræl scooted a little closer, lowering his head down to Toshiro's level.

"Teach you?" Toshiro really wasn't sure where this was going.

"As a senior ice dragon you could help me develop my ice powers."

There was no reply at first as the white haired boy tried to process this information. He, a Soul Reaper training to become king, teach a dragon how to be a dragon? He knew things were going to get weirder. They always did in moments like these. Now he just needed either a perverted Mod Soul or crazy ex-Captain to barge in and do something utterly embarrassing.

'_I can't train a dragon…I'm still in training myself!_'

He heard a faint rumble from Hyorinmaru that sounded like he was arguing back. His zanpaktou wanted him to train the ice dragon? He was answered by a pleased rumble this time.

'_You've got to be kidding me, Hyorinmaru, this is crazy!_'

Angry growl.

'_Alright, fine! I'll adopt him._'

Teal eyes focused back on reality and he turned to the waiting dragonling. Huh, it felt good to call him that instead of the other way around.

"Okay then, with me you stay." He told the beast.

Myndræl beamed and rubbed his head against the boy's small frame with a loud purr. Strange, he didn't know dragons purred. Maybe Hyorinmaru did but he always considered it rumbling. It was too loud to be a purr. The blue dragon definitely had an aura of cold that made him feel comfortable, so at least if Toshiro froze a place over he could be confident his new dragonling would be fine. That was a plus.

The young ice dragon kept Hitsugaya outside most of the day as they learned more about each other, the Greenleaf Family plus Kirio watching from a distance as the two got along splendidly. Myndræl even got the young prince to laugh at one point and Kirio high-fived Ruala once they saw it. Toshiro's new friend could possibly speed things along in his training.

But Ruala had her doubts. Blazefang had told her about what made him hesitate and knew that without his older friends he would still be homesick. There wasn't really a remedy for that.

She remembered him saying how Toshiro was more worried about his human friend…Karin. Perhaps she'd pay this Kurosaki girl a visit to see if it was what Blazefang assumed it was…more than a friendship.

* * *

**Here's the second chapter I promised ^^ So Toshiro gets his own dragon friend! XD I really like dragons and since the Greenleaf twins are both my OC's for Eragon and therefore Dragon Riders, I found the perfect chance to put in dragons! They'll actually get important much later on in the story. Especially now that Shiro has his own dragon partner. Anyway, next chapter is Karin! ^^**


	22. Karin Informed

A black and white ball slammed into the face of a black haired man wearing a white coat over rather casual clothing.

"Ack…that hurt." The man fell onto his back while the ball rolled harmlessly to his side.

"What kind of bullcrap are you trying to pull, Goat Chin!?" A young woman with long black hair tied into a ponytail and steely gray eyes snarled at her father. She was in a soccer uniform with a towel over her shoulder, having just finished practice when her dad decided to 'surprise visit' her.

Isshin Kurosaki sat up, rubbing his bleeding nose and putting on a dramatic pouting face.

"But Karin, I just wanted to make sure my lovely daughter would be safe out at night!"

"I'm sixteen, old man! Get over it!" Karin darted over and aimed a punch which Isshin quickly dodged.

He looked back at her, a little more serious this time. Ever since she'd gotten the news from Ichigo four days ago about the white haired Captain she'd been in a right foul mood. Her friends cowered as she passed and her enemies fled on sight. It was almost like she had a permanent fiery aura surrounding her. And all because a certain young prince didn't bother to say goodbye.

"Look I'll be home by nine, okay? Lay off." Karin picked up her soccer ball and walked away from her father to the locker rooms to change.

"Karin." Her father said in a tone his daughter knew meant business. She paused and partway turned back to look at him. "You can't be mad at him forever."

"Damn right I can! Prick doesn't even consider saying bye to a human girl, oh no, because now that he's prince he doesn't have to bother! The minute Toshiro comes back I'll pummel him until he apologizes!"

"Chances are he's not coming back." Isshin sighed.

He noticed the girl freeze for a moment and frowned, worried that he'd said something to upset her.

"Probably not. After all, what would royalty want with some half-breed anyway?" She stomped off without another word.

Her father sighed again and decided to leave her alone. All he wanted was to make sure she was okay, but she had yet to smile again, always angry. He wasn't worried about her safety; even Hollows would be put to the dirt with her temper as frail as it was at the moment. His friend Kisuke even considered her scarier thank Kenpachi at certain points.

"That boy better do something before she brings down Hell just to get to him." The shop keeper had said at one point, that same devious smile on his face as always.

Once she was changed, Karin headed outside, not really caring where she went. There were still several hours left in the day. She thought about maybe going to Kisuke's for more training. She couldn't get a sword yet but with her high amount of Spirit Energy for a human she was at least being taught how to use it. As long as she was home by nine so her father wouldn't attack her the way he did Ichigo still.

Deciding there wasn't anything else to do, Karin started towards the shop. The soccer fields were pretty close by so it wouldn't take her long to get there. She kept her pace slow, taking the time to calm her nerves. Anytime someone brought up Toshiro she felt so frustrated. Prince or not, he should have at least tried to say goodbye.

Ichigo had told her about how the Soul Society got a letter from some fabled Soul King with orders to find the Soul Prince, and how that prince turned out to be Hitsugaya. He also told her he'd left in kind of a rush, not staying long enough for Ichigo to even see him and hardly getting to say goodbye to anyone outside of the Captains and Lieutenants, though when she asked why he was in a rush her brother seemed to hesitate. But still, she felt she at least deserved something, even a message from one of those Hell Butterflies would suffice.

She sighed and moved away from the topic. No point getting frustrated over something that happened several days past now. How long had it been? Right, four days. Four LONG days.

She heard a rather loud meow and turned to look into an alleyway. Oh boy, that wasn't creepy at all. Any person who watched horror movies could see where this was going. Frowning, Karin turned away and decided to keep walking, not wanting to be the poor damsel captured by thugs who used a kitten to lure her in. The meowing got louder but she kept moving.

"Oh honestly, what a cold hearted girl." A voice said right behind her and Karin whipped around.

A small white cat with violet eyes was looking up at her, a rather fancy looking silver headdress with a black gem covering up something on her forehead. The cat waved a light brown paw at her.

"Are…Are you like Yoruichi?" Karin asked the cat.

"Yoruichi?" The cat tilted her head, confused. "Hm, perhaps I've heard that name before. But that's not important."

The cat started heading back, turning into the alley Karin had attempted to walk away from.

"I promise you no creepy monsters or gangsters." She grinned while the human scowled. "Just me. And I promise you, I'm not that scary."

"You are a cat, but if you're like Yoruichi you have a human form, right?"

"Actually, no." The cat trotted into the alley, a clear message that if Karin wanted more information she'd have to follow. With plenty of suspicion, she did so.

"My name is Sofia." The cat introduced, leaping onto a large box with ease and turning to face Karin, now at eye level with her. "I'm here on behalf of a woman named Ruala Nakryin, who happens to be watching over a friend of yours."

"That name sounds foreign." Karin crossed her arms.

"It is." Sofia grinned. "My master Ruala and I are from a celtic region deep in the British Isles."

"You seem to speak perfect Japanese."

"You learn things over the years. Anyway, would you like to hear about Hitsugaya or not?"

The girl visibly perked up and Sofia grinned wider, victorious.

"Before you say anything I must tell you this." Sofia's smile faded and her violet eyes filled with a serious and somewhat sad expression. "Prince Hitsugaya is currently undergoing intense training that puts his body to its limits. As such, his power has increased by three or four times its original strength, meaning he can never enter the human world without heavy restrictions, something we cannot do as of now. His life is also in danger."

"Ichi never said he was in danger, just that he left in a rush." Karin's eyes had gone wide.

"Just as well, my master and I both were concerned with giving out such information. However, certain circumstances with his training have led us to approach you."

"Why me?" Now the girl looked confused.

Sofia sighed heavily; she always hated doing things like this.

"With his life in danger we Royal Guard were forced to take him from what he knew as his home rather suddenly. As such, he's having a hard time adjusting, and he regrets not being able to say what he wanted to those who knew him. There are many people he wants to speak to again, one of them being you. However, with his power having increased so dramatically, he fears putting your life in danger by just being in the same area."

"Oh…so that's why he hasn't come back."

Nodding, Sofia offered the girl a sympathetic smile.

"He does regret not saying goodbye to you, Karin Kurosaki. It's just he can't, not in person at least. So I'm here to do it for him. Hopefully this will allow him to continue his training." Karin nodded but the cat could tell she was slightly worried. "My master and I watch him carefully. We'll make sure he becomes strong enough to fight the threat looming over him. And…if he can progress far enough in his training to control his power, he might be able to visit."

"He could?"

"Only for a moment." Sofia leaped off the box. "I'm sorry I can't offer more. There are no promises I can make that I would feel confident making, so I can only tell you that we will try."

"That's fine, thank you for telling me." Karin bowed her head to the cat and stepped away, going her original path to Kisuke's.

The cat knew that was all she was supposed to do, but curiosity killed the cat, and Sofia was willing to risk it. She followed the girl and caught up to her before trotting quietly beside her.

"What is your relationship with Prince Hitsugaya?" Sofia questioned, watching in amusement as Karin yelped and jumped away in surprise.

"My…what?" Karin blinked, before shaking her head and glaring. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Your relationship." The cat repeated, ignoring the last shout.

Though still upset, Karin kept walking with the cat beside her.

"We're friends, duh." Karin answered. "He sometimes gets stationed here for a week or two with Rangiku to keep an eye on the larger Hollows or he'll come here on his vacation days to play soccer and visit Grandma Haru."

"You seem rather angry with him about his not saying goodbye for just friends."

"Well…I'm a little short tempered. The last time a friend left without saying anything I was pissed for a few days too."

"And now that you have a reason for his absence you're not angry?"

"Of course I am! I mean, just because he can't do it in person doesn't mean he can just ignore his friends altogether. That's rude!"

"He seemed rather concerned about not getting to say goodbye to you."

"Because he knows I'll pummel him."

The feline laughed at that. But despite that, Sofia was starting to get a little annoyed. This girl was even denser than the prince about the relationship between them. A simple friend didn't get so angry about them not saying goodbye, nor were they ever so worried about hurting that friend that they'd actually resist getting the power they needed to protect them.

But both of them were still young, they had a while yet to consider it.

"I'll take my leave now; I need to help my master with Hitsugaya." Sofia stopped on the sidewalk and moved a paw up to the headdress, ripping off the black gem.

"Tell him I said hi." Karin waved. "Better yet, tell him if he doesn't visit at some point or another I'll fight my way to him and beat the crap out of him."

Sofia roared with laughter at that and winked at the girl before placing the gem in her mouth and crushing it under fang. A bright light surrounded her small frame and carried her back to the Soul King's Realm.

Satisfied, Karin continued on her way to Kisuke's.

* * *

**And here's Karin! Sorry, no meeting yet T^T But Toshiro's not allowed to just yet. Since Ruala is too quiet and shy to talk to anyone she doesn't know, Sofia does it for her since her cat is far more social. So maybe Karin won't pummel him AS bad when he shows up now since she knows the truth...but she'll probably still try. Maybe he can do something to get on her good side so she doesn't pummel him...hm, ideas, ideas...Enjoy!**


	23. Controlling the Blizzard

Toshiro sneezed.

"Who the Hell is talking about me?" He grumbled. "I feel like it was a while ago, though."

He looked to his side as Myndræl began to wake up, yawning loudly with ivory fangs gleaming in the morning light. The prince had ended up falling asleep leaning against the dragon, comfortable on the beast's cold body.

"Morning." Toshiro greeted him.

"Good Morning." The dragon nodded sleepily. "You're going to the mountain today?"

"I need to." Teal eyes turned towards the peak showing above the trees in the far distance.

"I know. You should probably eat first, though."

"Don't worry, I will."

The boy stood, stretching out his tired limbs, and headed towards the house.

"When you're ready I'll fly you to the mountain." Myndræl called after him.

Toshiro turned enough to give the dragon a grateful smile before he vanished into the house, Myndræl taking off to get his own food. Ruala kept her island kingdom well stocked with animals for the predators, though certain ones she made sure they knew were off limits to eating. She made sure her favorites were kept alive and told them never to go for the healthiest ones because they kept the populations thriving.

While the twins got around to feeding the young prince, Kirio having left last night, they found Ruala strangely absent.

"She disappears sometimes." Ralæn had shrugged when he asked. "Probably off practicing her magic to keep it strong."

They left it at that and said their goodbyes as he walked outside and towards the mountain on a full stomach. Myndræl soon found him and the prince mounted the blue dragon to ride towards his next trial together.

"I'm not allowed up the mountain." The beast turned his head back to explain. "Lady Ruala only allows those taking the trials up the mountain, or those who have already taken it."

Toshiro nodded to show he heard. Once they reached the edge of the forest where the path started, Myndræl dove downward, landing a little roughly. Though the flight was fun, Toshiro did not like the feeling of being saddle sore. Perhaps the blue dragon would allow a saddle on his back, a few of the scales had actually nicked his skin. Considering the amount of Spirit Energy he had at the moment that should have protected his skin like Kenpachi's did, it proved how tough dragon scales were. Even the semi-soft scales of a young dragon.

"Practice what I told you while I'm up there so you don't get bored." Toshiro told his new friend, scratching under his chin. The dragon purred.

"Got it! Hopefully I can do it." Myndræl spread his wings and took off towards the lake, leaving the young prince at the base of the mountain.

Hitsugaya watched the dragon leave for a moment before turning back to the mountain. He wondered if Blazefang was already gone or if he'd be there again just as a checkpoint. Probably the former. Taking a deep breath, Toshiro began to walk up the mountain once more.

Sure enough, he passed the point where Blazefang had been sitting before, the wolf and door both gone, and continued on up the mountain. The path began to narrow, the way down steep, but that was no problem for him. The way up to the next trial seemed much longer…or maybe that was just Ruala's magic. Either way, he felt like he'd been walking for more than an hour, probably two.

Finally he reached it, another door with a different spirit in front of it. He almost expected another wolf-like creature, but this one was a large feline, about the size of a panther. Most of her was light blue in color with dark blue leopard spots Her legs turned dark green with tan stripes before fading to dark blue, toes tan. The top of her head and end of her tail were also dark green with tan feather on the end of her tail and tan ears. The cat watched him approach with lighter green eyes.

"Are you another elemental like Blazefang?" Toshiro asked as he reached her.

"Nope." She meowed. "I'm Eilsitha, one of the cats Lady Ruala raised from a kitten. She raised me to control my powers in ways that make them much stronger when really I'm not all that strong."

"Is that why you've been picked to teach me that?"

"Yes. Though it's rather obvious, I have to say it. Prove to me your birthright."

Since he couldn't control his Spiritual Pressure at the moment anyway his brand was already shining brightly, so all he had to do was hold out his hand. Eilsitha nodded and nudged open the door, revealing another dark portal. He wondered where this one would take him. He stepped through.

He found himself in a large open space with smooth stone beneath him. The sky was dark but he knew it wasn't indoors like the first trial. There was a strange blue glow around them but he couldn't tell where it was coming from, only that it was there. He'd been told there would be obstacles of some sort, but he couldn't see anything no matter how far he looked. The land went on for miles in every direction with no one besides him and the large feline inhabiting it.

"I can see you're curious." Eilsitha said.

"What exactly are we doing?" Toshiro looked at the cat, confused.

"We're starting with basic Shinigami training. Only, the power needed to complete it will be much stronger than for them. You can still Flash Step, yes?"

"Of course."

"I'm going to teach you how to use your vast Spirit Energy to make it even faster, make it go farther. Over these next few days you'll be doing things you know how to do easily, only you'll find I've made them much harder in order to compensate for how much power you have. When I'm done you'll be able to control your power like any average Soul Reaper can. The next spirit will be the one to teach you how to make that control tighter."

The young prince nodded to show he understood.

"This world continues on endlessly, it's all tied to the same area. No matter how far you run you'll never find the edge." Eilsitha crouched, tensing to spring. "On that note, show me how good your Flash Step is, and we'll go from there."

Together they shot off in the same direction before Toshiro had gone as far as he could in Flash Step and stopped, Eilsitha pausing a little further ahead.

"Average for a Captain." The cat said. "Now, to make it better."

Over the next few hours, Eilsitha explained how to channel his very Spirit Energy onto himself, thus allowing him to travel farther than he had before. The result created a small glow around him, which explained why Ruala seemed to glow before she vanished; she was using the same technique. Occasionally his Spiritual Pressure would spike out of his control as he tried to raise it and froze part of the landscape, but thankfully Eilsitha was light on her feet. She never rested or stayed in one place too long, always on the move even if he had his power bottled up safely. It was the reason she was training him, to control it without worrying about it losing control.

The Flash Step was easy enough so Eilsitha moved on to having him focus on how much he let out. Any Captain could generally control how much of their Spiritual Pressure they released, and while Hitsugaya's was on a much larger scale, he needed to be able to do that too. She would release her own power and tell him to match it. That was more difficult, since when he lifted the same amount of control he usually did to match that level his power spiked and the cat was once again on the move.

The feline could tell this would take a while.

"Find a secluded area outside this mountain and practice what I told you." Eilsitha said to the tired prince, stopping their practice. "Have Lady Ruala help you if she's willing, her unique powers will keep her protected from Spiritual Pressure no matter how high it goes."

"What kind of power does she have, exactly?" Toshiro questioned, brushing some ice crystals out of his hair. "The dragon Lilianna told me she was…rare, something not human but not completely inhuman."

The blue and green cat cast him a strange glance before pondering his question.

"Lady Ruala is like the Greenleaf Family, the witches…but she's also something more. The Elementals sometimes pick a special being to harness their specific element, a rare few being allowed to harness two or three. Their kind was called Elementalists by the Greenleaf ancestors, but humans called them Avaintha, Spirit Healers. Their power mended the world in ways humans would not at first understand. But that was in ancient times, before tyrants came to fear Ruala's race and cast them out."

"So she's an Avaintha…like a Soul Reaper?"

"Very similar, only the Avaintha extended their power to more than just the human souls. They helped animals, plants, the very earth itself. They were one with the element they harnessed and were meant to use it in ways of keeping the planet itself alive, not just the balance of human souls."

"Meant to?" Toshiro caught onto the feline's saddened tone. "I guess not all Avaintha did what they were meant to."

"No, they didn't. When humanity struck at them for being freaks, the Avaintha fought back, giving into to darkness. They turned on each other, as Ruala learned while still young."

"They attacked a child?"

"More than that, prince." Eilsitha hung her head low. "But that is something that must not be told by anyone but her. She survived, but at a cost to her sanity. Lady Ælfwyn took her in and healed her, gave her the family she deserved, and Ruala grew into a member of the Royal Guard itself. As for your original question; what her power is. Ruala is rare even among her kind, for she gained the blessing of more than one Elemental. She gained all of them."

"All?" Toshiro's eyes widened. "And…and how many Elementals are there?"

"Fourteen." Eilsitha seemed to realize something. "Actually, she only has thirteen of them. The fourteenth is a little tricky right down to her very existence. An Angel of Death that was never meant to live. Ruala's twin sister."

"Ruala's sister is an Elemental?" That wasn't the only thing that shocked him; the fact that Death had its own element was rather…disturbing. He couldn't imagine what kind of twisted person she was.

"The Greenleaf ancestors believed that the Angel of Death's existence as Ruala's sister is why the thirteen Elementals chose Lady Ruala as their master, to counter it. But despite that, Ruala is only as powerful as the element available. That is her limit. She can only use the element near her, though she can augment it, and only one at a time."

"What about Sofia?" Toshiro remembered the girl saying how Sofia was like a zanpaktou.

"All Avaintha were gifted with a familiar that could change into creatures of their element. With Ruala having all of them, Sofia can change into any creature available of any element. All Rahvain, which is what Sofia is, have a true form that they rarely ever show unless their Avaintha is in danger. It is their last resort before they die.

"I can say no more. Go; practice what I've taught you." The cat created the portal out and pushed the stunned prince through before he could ask any further questions. He was at the base of the mountain once more.

'_Thirteen different elements…an Elemental sister, who controls Death itself no less…just how strong is Ruala?_'

He heard Hyorinmaru give a confused growl to show he didn't know what to think of it either. The sounds were getting a little louder now as Toshiro settled into his new power. Soon he'd have his dragon back.

Still a little stunned by the revelation of Ruala's unique powers, Toshiro trekked back to the Greenleaf Family home on foot, ignoring the sounds around him and where he was walking. All the while he wondered where this twin sister of Ruala's was now, and what exactly happened to Ruala during her early life. Either one couldn't be good.

When he felt cold on his feet he looked down to see he had walked to the lake instead of the tree mansion, the water lapping up against his ankles.

'_I just need to forget about that for now._' Toshiro sighed. _'I need to focus on my power, not Nakryin's. This is as good a spot as any to practice a little more._'

He sat at the water's edge and did just that. At one point his dragon friend found him and together they practiced, Toshiro with controlling his power and Myndræl with recognizing the icy power and attempting to use it. They did not move from the lake that night and the two fell asleep at the water's edge.

* * *

**So a little more on Ruala. She's starting to look like a Mary Sue, isn't she... T^T Well, i'm trying to give her weaknesses, like the only using one element at a time thing, and only what's available...though that's a lot, considering where she lives. Anyway, she's strong, but she's not invincible, and she's a scaredy-cat, so hopefully she's not too Mary Sue.**

**Anyway! There's a time skip after this chapter to skip past the boring trials and get on with things. Enjoy!**


	24. Three Weeks Later

Something tapped on her desk and the blonde looked up.

"Ah, hello Captain." Rangiku greeted.

The new Squad Ten Captain, Kadin Thane, quirked an eyebrow at her. She looked like her usual hangover self only more…sad. She'd been like that for the past few weeks and he wasn't sure how to help her. He was NOT about to let her go drink more, though, that was for sure.

Today marked the third week since Toshiro Hitsugaya had been taken into the Soul King's realm as the Soul Prince. Two weeks since Kadin had been appointed Captain of Squad Ten. He had showed surprising leadership skills in his test as well as Captain-class power, plus he'd been stationed in Squad Ten before as its fifth seat when Toshiro was first Captain before being transferred to Squad Five's third seat position, so he knew the Lieutenant just as well as the other two Captain candidates, both of which turned down the offer.

"Matsumoto, you really need to do some work." Kadin said to her, though not too harshly.

"Of course, sorry. I'll get right to it." Drowsily she reached for the top of her stack and tried to get started, but Kadin could tell she wouldn't get very far with both a hangover and depression. There had to be something he could do to remedy this; she managed to work through Gin's death. Perhaps it was different this time because he wasn't dead but could be at any moment. He wondered if they'd even bother to let them know he'd died.

Sighing, Kadin returned to his own desk and leaned back in it, closing his eyes to ponder how to fix his Lieutenant's depression. He'd noticed the woman spend a lot more time with Momo Hinamori, who supposedly had a way of speaking to Toshiro through the pendant one of the Royal Guards had given her. But she'd seemed stressed herself lately, saying she couldn't hear him at the moment, though she knew he wasn't dead. She'd been told the gem would break if the person wearing the other one died.

"Ya know," Rangiku's voice brought him out of his thoughts and he looked at her, "when you sit like that and the light shines on your hair, you look like a grown-up version of him."

Kadin's ice-blue eyes blinked in confusion. His hair was a little messy and long and he was wearing a sleeveless haori just like Hitsugaya had.

"Sorry, I don't mean to do that." Kadin frowned, leaning forward out of the light so his hair looked darker silver once more and starting on his paperwork.

"What are you sorry for?"

"Because…" He sighed. "Because I know how much you miss him and I'm not really helping you get over it. I can dye my hair again."

"No! You don't have to do that!" Rangiku waved her hands quickly in objection. "Though…I am curious as to why you dyed it silver."

"Uh…I actually forgot." Kadin grinned sheepishly. "It was a long time ago and my hair doesn't grow very fast so it's still in there."

"Not a single clue why you'd pick silver?" Rangiku smirked.

"Well at least I don't have to deal with blonde jokes. And it's such a light blonde anyway, I probably just thought why the heck not?"

"You're strange, Captain." Rangiku giggled.

"I've heard that plenty of times. Now do your paperwork."

She gave him a pouting face but obliged, looking a little happier than before. Kadin grinned a little as well; he should have known she'd go for small talk.

Meanwhile, Squad Thirteen Lieutenant, Rukia Kuchiki, was heading off to the World of the Living with an unnamed zanpaktou at her back. She was delivering it to Kisuke, who was then giving it to Karin. The girl had progressed a lot and the shop keeper supposed she was ready to start training for her zanpaktou. Rukia had volunteered for the trip to check up on the Kurosakis.

She stepped out of the Senkaimon and into the World of the Living right at Kisuke's shop. Karin was supposed to already be downstairs training with Yoruichi. But noticing that Yoruichi was the one to greet her, Rukia wondered what Karin was currently doing.

"Ah, there you are." Yoruichi stepped forward from the shop. "Karin's doing some meditation right now. Kisuke's about to try and separate her from her body. With how much Spirit Energy she has now, she should pop out as a Soul Reaper."

"I see." Rukia nodded, pulling the blank sword from behind her. "Here, this will be hers."

"If she's as good as her brother she'll have this sword filled with her zanpaktou spirit in no time." The Flash Goddess smirked and took the sword. "Ichigo's around the park, just fought off a few Hollows."

"Thank you." Rukia bowed her head before Flash Stepping away in that direction.

The purple haired woman then returned to the underground training area beneath the shop, walking over to Karin yet remaining quiet. Kisuke was waiting for the right moment, cane at the ready, to push Karin out of her body. It was a tricky thing, as Karin had about as much control over her Spiritual Pressure as her brother, they were just glad she didn't have as much.

Finally, at just the right moment, Kisuke struck her forehead and out her soul came, her real body slumping a bit as the life left it. She stumbled onto her rear before glaring at the shop keeper.

"Try to be at least a little gentler next time?" She scowled.

It had worked. She wore Soul Reaper garb and her power rose a bit as it was released from its human prison. They had given her a small bracelet that worked as a Spirit Energy absorber once she got to the point where her human body couldn't handle the strain, much like how Ichigo's badge prevented his body from ripping apart whenever he stepped back into it.

"Rukia made it with your zanpaktou." Yoruichi announced her presence, handing the blank sword over. "Remember, keep that on you at all times and your zanpaktou spirit will soon transfer to it and talk to you."

"I can kind of already hear her." Karin shrugged and Kisuke grinned. "She'll probably form the sword pretty quick."

"Most definitely." Kisuke hid behind his fan once more. "Should we practice zanjutsu now that you have a sword?"

"You bet!"

Two figures stood in the air a little ways away from the Urahara shop. They vanished and reappeared in an abandoned building not far away, not making a sound as they walked inside. Rats, sensing their killing intent, scurried away from the female figures quickly.

"So the girl sent her cat to one of the people in that dingy old shop back there?" One of them asked, her voice sounding whiny as her boredom kicked in. She wore a blood red cloak with the hood covering her face, as did the other one.

"One of the people in this town, anyway, but I don't know which one." The other answered calmly.

"Then who the Hell am I supposed to kill?"

"None of them yet. The cat was obviously trying to find someone who's close to the prince and the master wants them captured. He wants to use them to lure the prince in."

"What about his sister?" The whining figure put her hand out and created a fireball in it, twirling it around to pass the time. "Can't we just use her?"

"If you mean his 'sister' from the Rukongai, the master already has plans for her."

"And his real sister?"

"Master has her already; she's in the palm of our hands."

"So I can't kill anyone?" The fire girl groaned. "Man, I hate this job already!"

"You can't kill…but you can play." The calmer figure grinned. "Once you know which person it is, take them."

Fire Girl smiled with malice, already imagining what to do once she had her victim.

"Oh this will be so much fun!"

Much further away, in the park, Rukia found Ichigo and they caught up on everything that had happened so far over the last three weeks.

"No word yet?" Ichigo questioned, leaning up against a wall.

"Ichigo, he's not going to send word, he's probably busy learning how to be a prince." Rukia sighed as she sat on the bench next to where the Substitute was leaning.

"They've gotta let him do something."

"I doubt it, Ichigo. Remember, his life was being threatened; they'll be watching him closely to make sure he's safe. If he dies the worlds will fall."

"Is that what these enemies of his want? To destroy everything?"

Rukia pondered that.

"One of the Royal Guards said someone wanted Hitsugaya gone so as to take the throne. They must have a way of transferring the power over to their master before they kill him."

"Well, good thing that guy's stubborn." Ichigo shrugged.

"I know you never really respected his role as Captain, you don't for any of them, but considering he'll be ruling over the three realms one day I suggest you show some respect."

"Prince or not he's still a brat."

"Ichigo!"

"What, he is?!"

The black haired girl laughed. Eventually she left for the Soul Society once more while Ichigo went to check up on his sister. All the while a shadow hovered in the shadows, watching…waiting.

Waiting for the revelation of the prince's one weakness.

* * *

**Man, i'm on a roll with this story ^^ It's all ya'lls reviews, they give me the boost to keep on going! So, who wants a double update? I'm more than willing to post a second chapter today. I love being ten chapters ahead, it means I can give ya'll more to read XD Enjoy!**


	25. Energy Form

Over the past three weeks, Prince Hitsugaya had been training very hard. He'd finally gotten past Eilsitha's challenge as well as the next, which was given by a white phoenix type creature called Trilamina, the Elemental of Light. He now had very finite control over his Spiritual Pressure.

What's more, he'd grown a few inches. It had taken him some time to notice but he was now at least four inches taller than before. Still small but it put him in a good mood. His mood was made even better as he was able to finally communicate with Hyorinmaru again. It was still quieter than usual and he couldn't see the ice dragon yet, but it was much better than just rumbles and roars.

His father had come to see him at Ruala's kingdom when he was feeling good enough, making his illness seem unimportant by laughing it off and saying 'I still have a few months left in me!' when they asked. Toshiro appreciated the effort and told his father what all had been going on in the Kingdom of Magika.

At one point, while Satoru was talking to the Greenleaf twins, Ruala pulled the young prince to the side.

"You're close to completing the fourth trial, are you not?" She asked.

"Yes. Aquafur thinks I've nearly mastered the physical form of my Spiritual Pressure." Toshiro replied cautiously, wondering what the woman was getting at. Aquafur was the Water Elemental in the form of a wolf with a fish tail for a back half. She had told him she was picked to assist him because his powers stemmed from water and formed into ice, so she could help him shape it while it was still water (or ice-water) into its physical form.

"Once you complete the fifth trial, you will have enough control over your power that you won't hurt anyone if you were to visit the Soul Society."

His eyes widened and he even gaped a little. Was she suggesting what he thought she was? Would he really be allowed to visit his friends? After Sofia had reported to him her visit with Karin, he'd come to terms with not being able to return. Now, however, he was being given a chance to see them.

"Is that safe?" He questioned instead. "I'm still a target, aren't I?"

"Yes, but one of the guards will go with you. I'll gladly travel with you."

He thought about it for a moment. He did want to see them all again, and now that he had control over his power he wasn't afraid to be near them.

"Alright. When I finish the trials." He nodded to the girl. "Thank you."

She gifted him a smile before walking away. Toshiro turned to see his father petting Myndræl, the dragon purring happily. He stepped over to them.

"Quite the friend you've made." Satoru said to him.

"I didn't even think real dragons existed until I came here." Toshiro replied, putting a hand on Myndræl's side.

"Must have been a big surprise to see Lilianna and me then." The blue dragon grinned.

"It was."

"Dragons are a symbol of power." The Soul King stated. "Every king has had one. It seems your dragon is to be Myndræl."

"But my zanpaktou is a dragon." Toshiro raised an eyebrow, confused.

"Two dragons." The man mused. "Hm, I guess that could be considered a sign. You're special, my son. I've always known that."

Dragon and prince shared a glance, wondering what the king meant, both too young to know. Myndræl decided to ask Lilianna later when he went back to the other dragons.

"I have to get back to the trials." Toshiro said. "Will you still be here?"

"Of course." Satoru grinned. "I have some things to discuss with the Greenleaf Head of House, she's returning today."

"From where?"

"She's down in the city visiting an old friend. Ruala had Sofia go down to pick her up. I'm sure you've been wanting to meet her."

"Yes, actually." Toshiro positioned himself on the ice dragon's back, letting frost spread over the scales to protect his legs from the sharp points. Being an ice dragon, Myndræl didn't mind, and since he was still technically a wild dragon he didn't want a saddle. "She's been gone these past few weeks."

"She's a busy woman." The king chuckled. "Alright, I know you need to get moving. Be careful, Toshiro."

The prince nodded and his dragonling took to the skies and off towards the mountain.

"I wonder what happened to his dragon." Toshiro mused aloud. "I've never seen one in the palace."

"I'm not sure, Lilianna never said." Myndræl replied, moving down as they approached the mountain. "We should ask her."

"When I come down from the mountain we will."

"Alright. I'll be at the lake, just call for me."

The blue dragon dropped off his rider before taking off for the body of water, Toshiro starting his way back up the mountain, using his improved Flash Step to get to the fourth trial door in moments. A sea blue wolf with darker blue swirls awaited him, a honey-golden color running down her back to the large fin at the end of her tail, paws dark violet and eyes coral pink. There were black ram horns behind her ears.

"You're almost there, sir." Aquafur beamed, using her water power to swim through the air and through the portal behind her.

The portal led to an island platform surrounded by water. This kind of atmosphere allowed the prince to better form the physical manifestation of his Spiritual Pressure, which the water wolf believed to be a dragon just like his zanpaktou spirit. He thought that made sense.

"Well?" The wolf dove into the water before poking her head up. "Start from step one and move up." She went back underwater before poking her head back up behind him. "Hopefully you'll get it today."

Toshiro sighed as she flipped backwards and went into the water. It had taken a while to get used to her playful nature. He closed his eyes and looked deep within where the pure ice crystal still lay glowing in his hands. Ice spread across the platform and water churned dangerously, Aquafur darting in and out with a laugh. His Spiritual Pressure weighed heavily in the air, cracking the platform where ice seeped in. Icy white tendrils wafted off his body and began to curl into a shape. This is where he always lost it, unable to create the form. It had a faintly serpentine outline but its form flickered and broke constantly.

'_There must be something I'm doing wrong._' Toshiro mused. '_How did Zaraki and Kurosaki manage it?_'

"You have to feel something." Aquafur leaped out of the water and hovered over the platform. He opened his eyes to look at her, the icy white of his Spiritual Pressure turning his teal eyes icy-blue.

"Feel something?" He asked while maintaining the level of his energy.

"The form shapes itself with a strong feeling. Joy or determination, anger or desperation. Something powerful. You're too busy focusing on the logic of it."

"It's the way I do things." Toshiro closed his eyes. "But I suppose I'll try your way."

"Emotion is not a bad thing, sir. It is a weakness, yes, but it also gives us the power to prevail."

'_Many Soul Reapers could attest to that._' Toshiro thought to himself. '_A strong feeling…but what would mine form to?_'

He tried to think of when he felt at his strongest, what he felt at that moment. Fighting Aizen he always had a strong anger in his blade. The memories of the traitor came to mind and he scowled slightly. However, the physical form faltered, not strengthened. Hate or anger was obviously not its trigger.

No, it wasn't the anger that made him feel stronger; it was always his need to strike back at the one hurting his companions, his need to make sure no one else got hurt. His strength lay within his protectiveness of those he cared about.

He heard something growl above him and looked up. An icy-white outline of a serpentine dragon looked back at him with dark blue eyes, its edges fluctuating into sharp points with thick shards of ice surrounding it. It did hold a strong resemblance to Hyorinmaru, just as Aquafur believed it would.

"I knew you'd get it!" The water wolf spun through the air, doing circles around the energy dragon. "My trial is done, Ice Prince!"

"Looks like my title as Ice Prince has stuck." Toshiro grinned slightly, letting his power fade and taking the dragon with it.

"It fits." The wolf shrugged, swimming over to hover in front of him. "I heard you used to be called Ice Captain, so it's not that different, we just changed Captain to Prince."

At the mention of his former position, Toshiro began to wonder how his former Lieutenant was doing. She'd be as upset as Momo about his leaving. He shook the thought aside; he'd see her after he finished the trials. He only had one last test.

Though technically her trial was done, Toshiro stayed with the water wolf and continued to practice forming the energy dragon. It still took a minute or two for him to form it, and in battle he knew he'd need to be able to form it in seconds. Aquafur attempted to help by using her power over the water to strike at him, and he'd have to use the physical manifestation to block it, freezing the water before it reached him.

It took a few hours, but soon he could form it without much effort. It left him tired to say the least.

"I suggest a day or two of rest before you try the next trial." Aquafur hovered behind him, her head on his shoulder.

"I can't wait too long." Toshiro countered. "I need to finish these trials…there's so much I still need to do."

"Well don't hurt yourself, Ice Prince." She created the portal before diving into the water and out of sight.

Sighing, he stepped through and was once more at the bottom. He was so close to the mountain top, so close to getting his zanpaktou back. No amount of patience could help him get over not having the blade with him like he always did. One or two days maybe, he'd had to do that before. Several weeks…that was pushing it.

He called for Myndræl with a burst of his Spiritual Pressure. He wanted to meet the Greenleaf Head of House, but he also wanted to know what happened to his father's dragon. And, for that matter, his zanpaktou.

"Ready?" The blue dragon said once he'd landed next to the Ice Prince.

"Is it really okay for me to go to where the dragons nest?" Toshiro asked, just to be safe.

"We consider you one of us." Myndræl grinned. "You're welcome anytime."

Toshiro nodded and once more mounted his dragon companion and let the ice spread to protect him from the scales. With one swift flap, the blue dragon was racing through the sky and towards an area of the forest kingdom closed off by a steep drop to the surface and then high rock walls. The dragons wanted to make sure only other dragons could get inside, what with that small island being where the young dragons stayed. Ruala used Sofia in dragon form to get in.

Time to figure some things out.

* * *

**Get to see where the dragons live ^^ I forgot to mention: At one point further back Sofia mentions Ruala having five or so dragons. Just to be clear she meant Ruala has five or so PET dragons of a sort, ones that are friendly, but there are a lot of other dragons. Most aren't there on the island, just the ones that don't like to fight.**

**Anyway, here's that second update I promised ^^ What Shiro's been doing after three weeks.**


	26. Returning Leaf

Despite the unforgiving look of the outside, the inside was as peaceful as the mainland. Three or four dragons the same size as Myndræl watched the newcomers curiously, with a much larger dragon looking down on them from a higher point as he watched over the whole island. Lilianna was also there, entertaining a tiny dragon with her tail.

"Welcome, dragonlings." The violet dragon greeted them, bringing the tiny white dragon towards her. The baby had scales that seemed to shimmer in the light and light green eyes, wings almost transparent.

"Toshiro and I wanted to know something, Lilianna." Myndræl approached her, bowing as he had to Toshiro before. The young prince bowed his head in greeting as he stepped up next to his companion.

"And what would that be?" She tilted her head. Her attention shifted as the shimmering white dragon escaped her winged forelegs and latched onto her tail. "Shimmer, enough of that."

The white dragon looked at her with wide eyes and a big smile.

"Come on now, go play with Shaderunner and Shadow." The violet dragon pushed Shimmer away with her snout towards two of the older dragons. With a pout, the tiny dragon bounded over to them. "Continue, dragonlings."

"My father mentioned that every Soul King has had a dragon." Toshiro said.

"You wish to know what happened to his."

"If possible." Myndræl nodded.

Lilianna huffed, fur ruffling a bit, and the blue dragon lowered his head.

"Well…I suppose since you're the Soul Prince you have a right to know." The violet dragon frowned. "And with Myndræl being your dragon he shall know too. It's not something we dragons like to talk about."

"Why's that?"

Lilianna glanced at the other dragons as they grumbled and moved away. The big dragon keeping watch, a diamond beauty with bright white eyes and smoky claws and horns, lifted her lips in a snarl before turning away.

"What happened to Lord Kinryu is something that should never happen to a dragon." Lilianna spoke in a grave tone. "When Dethmaiyn first realized he was no longer the one to claim the throne, the first thing he did was attempt to force your father to destroy you."

"He what!?" Toshiro's eyes went wide.

"It was either you or his dragon." Lilianna lowered her head sadly. "Lord Kinryu believed Dethmaiyn was simply threatening death and told your father to hide you away, to protect you, and not worry about his fate. But Dethmaiyn had far worse in mind. He used dark magic to take from him the one thing that separates dragon from monster."

Beside the boy, Myndræl whimpered, lowering his head to the ground.

"Kamai Dethmaiyn stole from Lord Kinryu his Heart of Hearts, his very soul. By doing so, what was once a mighty dragon king of light turned into a flesh eating monster. Dethmaiyn had no intention of killing him…he forced your father to kill his own dragon after Lord Kinryu slaughtered many of his people in a blind, beastly rage."

Inside his mind, Toshiro heard Hyorinmaru roar in fury. He wanted to do the same, but was too shocked to wipe the stunned expression off his face. He was horrified that Kamai would do such a thing to such wise creatures.

"Lord Kinryu was even attempting to harm a dragonling." Lilianna let a tear stray down her muzzle. "Your father was heartbroken, but he had to do it. I only hope you will be safe from such a torment, both of you." She nudged the tearful blue dragon in comfort, doing the same to Toshiro. The young prince put a hand on her snout to thank her. "Your father's zanpaktou was broken that day as well as Dethmaiyn took advantage of your father's grief and destroyed it. Dethmaiyn is the reason your father only has months to live when he could have continued on until you were of true age to know your birthright."

"How can I stop someone like that?" Hitsugaya looked the violet dragon in the eyes.

"You're a special dragonling." Lilianna stood. "Not only do you have your dragon companion before you're of age, but your very spirit is that of a dragon. You've been welcome to the nest, which can only be done by those strongly bonded to a dragon. I have faith you are much stronger than your father."

"My father isn't weak, though."

"No, he isn't, but his strength has since failed him. Satoru Hitsugaya was a powerful king indeed, but his time has ended. The day will come when you take his place."

"And we will follow you to the end." The diamond dragon added, landing next to the smaller violet dragon and bowing her head. Though she could easily swallow him without effort thanks to her size, he felt no threat from her.

"Dragon King." Lilianna bowed her head as well. "A name only given to those the dragons deem worthy to rule them. That name will be yours when you become king."

"I'm…I'm honored." Toshiro bowed to them in return.

"It's time you returned to the girls." Lilianna started walking towards the walls. "I shall fly with you; I also wish to speak to Lady Greenleaf and the Soul King."

Still in a sort of shocked state, Toshiro simply mounted his dragon companion and the two took off over the wall and back to the mainland.

So dragons did run in the family, as his father had said, but it was possible to lose one. He'd already grown rather attached to Myndræl, as had Hyorinmaru. Though the two ice dragons could not freely speak to one another, his zanpaktou often said a few words through his master to the dragonling. It wasn't something they wanted to lose. Speaking of his zanpaktou, apparently having a dragon zanpaktou was special. He'd always been told how powerful Hyorinmaru was, as well as how his attacks made the figure of his spirit, not something very common among the zanpaktou, apparently. He'd shrugged it off, as both Renji and Komamura had zanpaktous reflecting their inner spirits.

But why was that so special, that he had a zanpaktou dragon and a living dragon? His father definitely knew something but wouldn't tell, Toshiro knew by the way Satoru had looked at him when saying he'd always known he was special.

He shook his head. He needed to stop getting distracted. He had only a few months to do what needed to be done to become the Soul King, starting with the five trials, which was mainly just to raise his Spirit Energy to the needed level. It really had nothing to do with combat or how to run the kingdom. Just power. He'd graduated the Shinou Academy in one year, though, surely he could do this.

The two dragons landed outside the tree mansion where his father stood with a new figure. She was definitely not the woman he was expecting. She had foresty green hair, for one thing, and bright amber colored eyes. She seemed to lean more towards her rebellious daughter, wearing black though it had purple and green accents, which was weird to him. She had a short slitted black skirt over green shorts and tall black boots, as well as a short sleeved black shirt lined in green with purple fur around the waist covered by a thick black belt. There was a necklace of fangs around her neck.

"Ah, Toshiro." Satoru grinned. "And Lilianna, such a pleasure to see you again."

"You as well, my king." The violet dragon bowed her head. "Welcome back, Lady Greenleaf."

"Good to be back!" The green haired woman said cheerily; while she seemed to stylize more towards Ralæn, she acted more like a peppy Ælfwyn. "And now I can meet the young prince."

The minute Toshiro had dismounted Myndræl, the Greenleaf Head of House promptly pulled him into a tight hug.

"Ah, Sylfie, my son can't breathe." Satoru calmly pointed out.

"Oh, sorry." The woman let him go. "It's just so nice to finally meet my nephew."

"Nephew?" Toshiro looked at her strangely, rubbing his arm; the woman had a death grip.

"My sister is your mom." Sylfie giggled, poking the young prince's forehead. He scowled at her. "You're kind of small."

"I am not!"

"Oh calm down, I'm just playing." She put an arm around his shoulders and pulled him towards the door, his father watching in amusement. "I have to say hello to my daughters, if you'll excuse me."

She let him go at the door before stepping inside with a little too much energy for his liking.

"Is she always like that?" Toshiro grumbled, straightening his shirt. He wasn't wearing anything fancy considering the kind of training he was doing, and although Shutara worked fast his growth spurt over the past few weeks made her decide to wait for a while before using her more expensive fabric.

Behind him, his father laughed before coming to stand next to him.

"She's very lively, yes. Just wait, the girls may end up singing for us."

"Singing?"

"They're a very musical bunch. They blame it on their celtic roots." He patted his son on the shoulder and Toshiro glanced at him, miffed. "It'll be fun, I promise. You need to relax before your final trial, anyway. Sylfie is very good at that. Come on."

The two boys walked inside and joined the girls in their chatting. Ruala was rather quiet, despite the energy her cat showed, Sofia currently darting around the green haired woman in songbird form. It was rather lively with Sylfie here and it seemed to be infectious. Satoru was in much higher spirits and didn't look as sickly, managing to keep up with the chirpy woman as the two of them went back and forth with smart-aleck remarks. Eventually Ralæn stepped in and won the whole argument before everyone burst into laughter.

"I hear our young prince has been taking my surrogate daughter's five trials." Sylfie turned to Toshiro, who blinked in surprise as attention turned to him.

"I have." Toshiro replied calmly.

"Which one you on?"

"I just completed the fourth."

Sylfie raised an eyebrow.

"When did you start?"

"Three weeks ago." What was she getting at?

"Impressive. Now, what's your favorite kind of music?"

"I-what?" Toshiro lost his train of thought.

Sylfie laughed loudly at that before turning to her daughters, Ruala looking a little exasperated at the woman's antics.

"What, no singing?" She questioned them.

"It's not the same without you, mother." Ælfwyn smirked.

"Oh you're all hopeless." The girls giggled. "Alright, tomorrow we'll do a little something to bring the song back."

"We look forward to it." Satoru chuckled. "Perhaps we'll even join in."

"Count me out." Toshiro grumbled.

"What's this?" Sylfie gasped dramatically. "Well, little prince, we'll fix that."

"I'm not little." Toshiro growled. "And I don't sing."

"You will when we get going, you just watch."

"No."

"Just one song.

"No."

Sylfie pouted.

"What a serious child you are. You'll never grow with an attitude like that."

"And what would you know?"

"Just have a little fun and you'll feel so much better!"

Toshiro groaned. Perhaps he'd head to the fifth trial early. Or maybe escape to the dragon island. Anything but singing.

* * *

**Break time! Toshiro gets to handle the rather energetic mother of the Greenleaf twins and maybe they can get the Ice Prince to sing XD Enjoy!**


	27. Celtic Roots

Here's the two songs for this chapter. The first is called Strings of Fire, a violin duel. The second is The Call by Celtic Woman. Listen to them while you read ^^

* * *

Unfortunately for Toshiro, he could not escape. Lilianna and Myndræl both were not about to miss out on the singing and Ruala herself prevented Toshiro from escaping to the mountain. Plus, his father looked rather happy about it all, and Toshiro did not want to ruin that mood.

'_**Oh go on, Master, if even your father is willing to relax they're not in that much of a rush.**_' Hyorinmaru snorted as his wielder pouted off to the side.

'_As long as they don't make me sing._' Toshiro grumbled.

'_**You're voice is perfectly fine.**_'

'_Hyorinmaru, I'm not singing._'

'_**You and Hinamori used to sing together back in the Rukongai.**_'

'_That was a long time ago._'

They were all outside with the dragons, Toshiro sitting next to his while Sylfie spoke with his father, the woman now in a more festive outfit consisting of an elbow sleeved black shirt with thin green silk dangling down and a black and green skirt that went mid-calf. She was also barefoot, which Toshiro found odd. But then again, he'd realized last night she was very odd.

Ralæn began to play a violin, a slow tune that caught their attention quickly.

"Ah, there we go." Sylfie beamed, darting inside to grab another one before joining her daughter's side quickly.

She began to play as well and the two of them harmonized.

"Ruala, give us a dance." Ælfwyn encouraged the Avaintha. The woman wore something similar to her mother but white with gold.

Ruala was wearing a brown shirt with green at the elbow and a flowing green skirt. As Sylfie and her daughter began to play at a faster pace, surprising Toshiro at how they managed to stay in tune with one another while going so fast, Ruala stepped out and danced to the beat. It was completely different from traditional Japanese dance, very fast paced and a lot of footwork. She twirled and moved her entire body all in complete harmony with the music. Both Hitsugayas were rather star struck.

"Well don't let her dance alone." Ralæn nodded her head at her twin, not missing a beat.

Ælfwyn laughed and obliged, moving out to the center with Ruala where they moved in perfect rhythm with one another. How did they do that? It was like they'd been doing the same thing for years. Perhaps they had.

"I don't think I've ever heard this song before." He heard his father muse beside him.

"What?" Toshiro looked at him in surprise. "They dance like they've done it hundreds of times."

"Well, they've danced hundreds of times, but never the same dance." Satoru winked. "These celtic people are superb at this, and so lively."

The tune shifted, the two violinists shifting it together without pause. Both girls dancing changed the dance in tandem, not missing a single step and looking like a well-choreographed duet. Laughing happily, the king clapped along to the beat, the dragons hitting their tails to the ground and humming along. Shrugging, Toshiro clapped along; at least he didn't have to sing.

The song ended with a big finish and the dancers finished with it, not looking the least bit tired. Their audience clapped while the girls giggled excitedly, still looking ready for another go.

"Sofia, how about a beat?" Sylfie looked to the white cat.

Grinning like a Cheshire, Sofia turned into her larger cat self and stepped over to a set of drums she'd pulled out earlier. Cat or no, as she started drumming, there was no question she was good at it.

"Willing to join in?" Sylfie winked at her male guests.

"I can try." The king shrugged.

"Still no." Toshiro huffed.

"Come now, son, just let the music lead you."

The boy glanced at his dad before giving another huff and remaining stubbornly quiet.

"Sometimes in this life we hear, calling from somewhere." Ælfwyn began in a beautiful voice, Sofia's drumming quieting down to nothing as she let the singers take spotlight. "Sometimes it is loud and clear, sometimes it's so softly there…"

The lady in white turned towards her mother who quickly took up the song in a lower voice.

"Sometimes it is in the sea, sometimes in the sky…"

"Sometimes it's in you and me," Ruala cut in, her voice a little higher than the other two, "and sometimes it's a cry."

Now all four of them sang together in harmony that entranced Toshiro, taking his mind off of anything else.

"Open your heart, I am calling you. Right from the very start, your wounded heart was calling too." The girls were all smiling, even the normally quiet Ruala. It was strange to see her so excited and open. "Open your arms, you will find the answer when you answer to The Call…"

Ralæn cut in with a quick violin play that fit perfectly to their voices, Sofia taking up the drums again. The instruments quieted down and, to the surprise of the boys, Lilianna took up the song.

"Sometimes it is in desire, or in the love we fear. When the call keeps calling us," The twins sang with the dragon, "till the fear will disappear."

"When we have no dance to dance," Ælfwyn sang again, twirling a little to emphasize her part before her sister joined in, "the call is in us all." Once more all the girls sang together. "When we have no voice to sing, and the call is calling strong."

"Join in!" Sylfie motioned to the boys, dragon included, as they started up the chorus again. Satoru and Myndræl both obliged while Toshiro still kept silent.

"Open you heart, I am calling you!" Everyone seemed to sing together perfectly which was magical in and of itself. Toshiro had heard of people who could enchant anyone with their voices and he was sure he'd found those people. "Right from the very start, your wounded heart was calling too."

"Sing, Toshiro." The king nudged his son. With the energy of the music flowing through him, Toshiro found himself obeying as the second part of the chorus started up.

"Open your arms, you will find the answer when you answer to The Call…"

Ralæn once more played a beautiful violin solo and both Ruala and Sylfie danced along to it. Lilianna winked at Toshiro knowingly, who blushed at having been caught singing.

"Once more!" Sylfie did one last twirl with Ruala before they froze in place and turned to the others. Everyone was quick to catch on and this time Toshiro didn't hesitate; too late to stop now.

"Open your heart, I am calling you! Right from the very start, your wounded heart was calling too. Open your arms, you will find the answer when you answer to-" Ruala and Ælfwyn sang separately, "Open your heart, your heart, and-" Once more everyone, "You will find the answer to…The Call…"

The girls cheered for their success and the dragons purred happily, the king laughing merrily with the contagious energy that the song seemed to give.

"I got the prince to sing!" Sylfie yelled triumphantly, Flash Stepping behind said prince and ruffling his hair. He scowled but did nothing more. "I told you I could get you to sing."

"I can blame it on magic." He grumbled.

"Actually, you can't." Satoru chuckled.

"Whose side are you on?!"

They all laughed.

"Don't be shy, nephew, you have a superb voice." Sylfie patted him on the back before walking back out. "The Royal Guards are hopefully on their way. I know they can never miss a good party."

"Got that right!" A voice said behind Toshiro, making him jump in surprise. It was one of the guards he'd only met briefly, Oetsu Nimaiya, a crazy man with wild black hair and sunglasses, green under his uniform instead of the usual white and shorter pants.

"It's always a pleasure." Senjumaru greeted Sylfie. The other three were there as well. It seemed things were going to get interesting, Toshiro thought.

"Let's do another song." Sylfie beamed, turning back to Toshiro. "And this time you sing right along. No one gets left out!"

"That was a one-time thing." The young prince snapped.

"Oh you were having fun." Ælfwyn appeared by his side.

"Just give in, our mom makes sure no one is in a bad mood." Ralæn added, coming to his other side.

"Fine! I'm just not used to this…"

The green haired woman winked at him before grabbing a guitar and playing a tune.

It took a while for the normally cold and distant Toshiro to actually get into the festivities, though he never did more than sing along and smile. Sylfie tried to get him to stand and dance but he wouldn't have it, though his father joined in to the boy's surprise. They could be attacked at any time and everyone was goofing around. Well, at least they knew how to have fun.

'_**You don't know how to have fun, apparently.**_'

'_Shut up._'

'_**Killjoy.**_'

'_Shut up! So I'm not one to have fun, that doesn't matter. I don't have time for that._'

'_**Your father is living through his last few months, meaning he has a lot to teach you in a short amount of time, yet he's dancing with the rest of them.**_'

'_I…just…leave me alone. Maybe when I'm not under so much pressure._'

The dragon grumbled to himself but went silent. It was becoming clear he was only upsetting the boy more when he was trying for the opposite effect, trying to get him up and actually enjoy himself. Perhaps when he was back in his master's hands he could better help the boy feel comfortable with showing emotion for once.

Things calmed down quickly as Satoru began to feel woozy. Toshiro frowned deeply, watching as Senjumaru and another Royal Guard, Ichibe Hyousube, took him back to the palace.

"He'll be okay, right?" He asked the crazy Oetsu.

"Don't you worry; he just needs to rest a little." The black haired man patted the boy on the back. "Not quite healthy enough for all this dancing, that's all."

'_See? Dancing isn't healthy._' Toshiro shot in his dragon's direction.

'_**Because your father is ill, that's all. At least he had fun.'**_ Hyorinmaru countered.

'_You're not going to let this go, are you?_'

'_**As your partner I'd rather you not be such a downer all the time. I'm just trying to get you to lighten up.**_'

Toshiro outwardly sighed, recognizing the ice dragon's attempt to cheer him up but still not doing so. There were a few hours of daylight left, and since the girls weren't letting him just continue his training, he thought he'd go ahead and at least practice some more. He wanted to be prepared. Before they could stop him from doing that, he headed off toward the lake. Hopefully he'd be able to conjure the physical form of his Spiritual Pressure without the need for a large body of water, but for now he didn't want to exhaust himself.

Back with the others, Ruala was pulled to the side by her surrogate mother.

"He's a fast learner, I'll give him that." Sylfie cut right to the chase. "But putting him through your trials with Fear still in his heart is risky."

"It's a small amount." Ruala countered quietly. "And…he seems to be fighting past it on his own."

"True…" The green haired woman mused, her hand under her chin. "Still, he hasn't had to face another one of Dethmaiyn's people yet. We're lucky they can't get in here."

"I still haven't found where they're hiding."

"No one has, it's not your fault. Kamai is a tricky bastard. I wouldn't be surprised if that sneaky cousin of mine is hiding in his own kingdom made of shadows."

"Then I cannot go there." Ruala's shoulders slumped.

"Don't worry, he's got his dragons." Sylfie gifted the girl a smile. "Go on, keep an eye on him. If you're not careful he'll try to sneak on up the mountain."

"He won't find anything there."

"Not yet, anyway." Sylfie winked before walking back out to join the others. Ruala vanished from view, heading towards where the Ice Prince was practicing his control.

She found him with the energy dragon curled above him. Since this skill was new, he seemed to be having a little trouble keeping it together, but it was far better than the forms given off by any Soul Reaper with enough power to do so. Plus, he was holding it in place much longer. The dragon gave a growl that sounded like the falling of an avalanche and twisted around in the sky before it dispersed. She could feel a slight blast of energy hit her as the icy Spiritual Pressure of the Soul Prince hit her.

Toshiro breathed deeply and tried again. He'd noticed Ruala arrive and had let his concentration slip. That wouldn't do while in battle.

'_**You're using more energy than you think you are.**_' Hyorinmaru warned. '_**Rest, you might as well take advantage of it while the girls give it to you.**_'

'_I need to be prepared._' Toshiro argued. '_There's no telling when I'll need to fight again._'

'_**Then do something other than waste your energy like this. It'll take more than a day to recover it all back.**_' The dragon paused as he thought of something. _**'How about the book, **_**Secrets of the Soul King**_**? You could read through that, get an idea of what you'll be doing as king.**_'

Toshiro calmed his power down as he thought about that, the ice melting away and the water returning to normal. The ice dragon was right; he hadn't looked at that book once since he'd gotten to the palace. It was probably still sitting on his desk in his room, forgotten.

'_I see your point…_' Toshiro sighed and once more submerged most of his power within the depths of his Inner World, the new area that did indeed turn out to be a large lake amidst the icy plane. The serpentine wisps had vanished now that he had control of the power inside.

That done, Toshiro turned to where Ruala sat on a thick tree branch with her legs swinging back and forth, simply observing.

"Could you ask Sofia for a favor?" He questioned and she tilted her head, said cat popping up on her shoulder there. "That book you gave me before, I never got to look through it all. I think it's still in my room."

"Got it." Sofia leaped off her master's shoulder to the ground, transforming as she did so. Before she touched earth she soared back up in the form of a large hawk, veering in the direction of the palace for her errand run.

"You've stopped training?" Ruala asked.

"It's probably best I don't wear myself out for the final trial. Hyorinmaru suggested I look through that instead. I never was one to sit still and do nothing."

The woman nodded and jumped down from the tree, turning to walk back to her home. Toshiro followed her this time and they waited for Sofia to return with the book. The fun was over, the young prince wanted to get back to training.

* * *

**Sylfie just seems to have this way with people, doesn't she? XD Couldn't get him to dance, but he sings a little bit. Just a little. It's hard not to sing along with these girls ^^ And...right after that he's back to training Goodness, Shiro. Enjoy!**


	28. Studying

The book was taken from his hands in a flash.

"Hey!" Toshiro scowled, looking up at the thief.

"We give you a day to relax and you're studying?" Sylfie snickered, moving the book behind her though she was kind enough to keep his page marked with a slip of paper she'd nabbed before taking it.

"I'm sure I'll need the information in there and I don't like to sit around and do nothing." Toshiro growled. The woman opened her mouth but he was quick to cut her off. "And no, I'm not dancing!"

"Oh, killjoy." In a very immature act the woman stuck her tongue out at him. "Fine, here."

She handed the book back and he wordlessly returned to where he'd previously been reading. He was interested in this part, as it had to do with how the dragons and Soul Kings had first joined together as a single force, making dragons protectors of the dead. Apparently it had been the dragons to approach the king, not the other way around as he'd at first believed. The king of dragons at the time had felt a strong connection with the king of souls and they formed a sort of contract between them to rule together. But despite that, the dragons only took orders from their king, and not the spirit.

He wondered why the dragons had promised to rule under him, then. Myndræl was obviously not old enough to rule them as their king, but then again neither was he. He thought they'd perhaps follow his father but the blue dragonling had said they stopped interacting with people when Kinryu was killed until Ruala came along, and even then they're distant. He supposed it had something to do with his zanpaktou being a dragon. Perhaps he could find that in the book, or if not, he could always ask Lilianna.

"What would your mother think, seeing you with your nose in a book on such a good day?" Sylfie once more interrupted his reading, throwing open the curtains to let in the bright light of a sunny day.

He scowled again and moved out of the beam of sunlight. The weather was starting to heat up and he preferred it to remain winter.

"I wouldn't know." Toshiro replied to the green haired woman's comment. "If I'd been back in the Rukongai, Granny would have left me alone and Hinamori would continue to pester me until I went out to play with her."

"Well, my sister would have that book out of your hands and you outside in a matter of seconds." Sylfie smirked, poking said book to make him look up at her. He did so with a glare. "She's like that. The minute the weather's good she has everyone outside enjoying it. She did tend to prefer the colder days though."

"As do I." Sighing, Toshiro attempted to turn away from the woman. "Now leave me alone."

"Fine, fine." Shrugging, Sylfie headed back out of the room.

"Wait." Toshiro called after her.

Curious, the green haired woman turned back to look at him. He looked somewhat nervous, the book lying open in his lap.

"What…" He took a deep breath, something she noticed him do often to keep calm. "Can you…can you tell me more about my mother?"

A soft smile played on the woman's lips and she returned to his side, sitting in the chair next to him beside his temporary bed. Since Sofia had brought the book back he hadn't left the bedroom, reading through the contents faster than they thought was possible. He also seemed to remember a lot of it, though he'd go back and reread parts for clarification.

"Her name was Anya Greenleaf." Sylfie started off. "She was a rather free spirit, much like the rest of us. Runs in our blood. It was her who showed Ruala how to befriend the dragons, her who brought life to the kingdom. Your father had been infatuated with her the minute they met, though it took a while for her to be tamed." She winked and Toshiro rolled his eyes. "My sister was like you in that she loved the cold weather. Snow just seemed to fascinate her. She also could be strict at times. It's probably where you get your unrest from; she never could stay in one spot doing nothing for long. She had to have something to do, and usually dragged us along, and she wanted it done right."

"She sounds like a handful." Toshiro smirked slightly.

"Oh, she was. Not that your father cared. In fact, he always seemed to calm her down. He had this way of slowing down that racing mind of hers and get her to relax."

"What did she look like?" The young prince wanted to know who it was that sacrificed her life to ensure his own would continue on.

"One minute." Sylfie said, holding up a finger, and darted out of the room.

She came back in a flash with a small photo. In it was her and another woman, who he assumed was Anya, his mother. She had long golden hair with a slight wave to it and silvery colored eyes with a slightly blue color, a gentle smile on her face though he could see a tight grip being held on her sister, making him wonder what the story behind this picture was.

"We were just about to go visit your father." Sylfie explained as if reading his mind. "Anya was debating whether or not to marry him at the time – he'd just asked her – and I had a friend of ours snap a picture with the new camera humans had just invented. With a little magic we put color into it. Anyway, she wasn't happy about the picture because she was all in a rush. I had scars from her nails digging in for months!"

The woman laughed while her companion just rolled his eyes again.

"She's pretty." Toshiro said aloud without realizing.

"She was." Sylfie nodded, her expression turning a little sad. "She was the family's pride and joy. Even I admired her despite being the older sister. I grieved a long time when I heard she'd died…"

The silence stretched on as The Head of House fell in old memories of times long past. Rather uncomfortable with the depressing aura, Toshiro took the photo from her hands.

"Can I keep this?"

"Of course." Sylfie grinned again. "I have others if you want to see, you can keep that one to have something to remember her by."

"Thank you." He paused, somewhat nervous. "I'm sorry for bringing up any bad memories."

"Oh, don't worry about it." Sylfie ruffled his hair. He frowned but relented, letting her have her way this once. "Besides, you're alive and well, which means her spirit lives on. That's more than I can ask for."

Toshiro offered her a sympathetic smile before he carefully stashed the picture away and returned to his reading. His Aunt left the room as well, leaving him in silence once more.

He stayed in there for several hours, simply reading. Occasionally he would talk something over with Hyorinmaru to try and clear up what it could mean, going back to other parts if needed. He wondered when he'd get to meet the King of Hell. According to the book he had to keep in contact with him to make sure souls were going where they were supposed to. Also, Satan was the only dead spirit to have lived since the beginning of time, therefore making him the oldest being in all the realms. But despite that he didn't flaunt his power and actually assisted the Soul King with tasks if need be. He wondered if he could get the demon lord to assist him in stopping Dethmaiyn.

Affairs with the King of Hell seemed rather complicated, so Toshiro read on to the kind of tasks he needed to do to become king, the requirements he had to pass. The section about the mark on his hand mentioned other trials to take in order to prove himself worthy. None of the Kanji symbols shown in the picture had appeared on his mark, so he could assume he had more to do. He was curious as to what. He returned to the page where the picture was, looking at the symbols for a hint. It said the different trials centered on what the symbols meant, so he wanted to refresh his memory.

'_Well, I might get one._' He mused, looking at the symbol on the left side of the star where the Kanji for Power was written. '_My Spirit Energy has grown significantly since the beginning. By the end of the trials I might have that one._'

'_**Most likely.**_' Hyorinmaru agreed. '_**I wonder how to prove the other three, especially eternity.**_'

'_I have no idea. Power is straightforward but the others are tricky. Honor, maybe not; that could just be a promise or a vow I have to make._'

'_**There's no telling what it takes, really. We'll just have to wait and see.**_'

Sighing lightly, Toshiro continued reading. The information about the different tests were vague as each king-to-be had different things that needed to be done in order to earn each mark. The final mark in the center appeared after one final test taken after completing the first four, and absolutely no information was given about that test.

He sensed a flare in his dragon's Spiritual Pressure and looked away from his book. What could Myndræl want? Using the paper Sylfie left behind he marked his spot and set the book down before heading outside to where his dragonling awaited him.

"What is it, Myndræl?" He asked once he was next to the blue dragon.

"I learned how to use my powers!" The drake replied excitedly.

"Impressive." Toshiro smiled. "May I see?"

"Of course! Come on, to the lake."

Even as the prince was mounting he could tell Myndræl was eager to show off, continuing to shift underneath him. He took off with great speed as if he couldn't wait to get there. As they flew, Myndræl let out a roar, icy mist blasting out as dragon fire would for a normal dragon. It was the first time Toshiro had seen the blue dragon use his breath. As they passed by the spot where the mist had spread, the temperature significantly dropped and frost began to from on them, Toshiro having to brush it out of his hair.

"You're learning quickly." He said with a grin. It was exciting to see his dragon grow.

"I can make it stronger, too." Myndræl grinned back. "But I didn't want us flying through that kind of cold."

"I'm not bothered by it. You should know this."

"Well, it solidifies into solid ice."

"Now that I'd prefer not to run into."

The dragon laughed before diving down to the lake.

"I can make it where anything I touch turns to ice." To prove this, he brushed his wings along the tops of the trees. They froze over, ice spreading down the branches until the heat of the day stopped its descent and melted it.

"Be careful with that." Toshiro warned. Couldn't have Myndræl going around freezing everything.

"I know." The drake smiled sheepishly. "Alright, for the final thing I learned. I can use water like you and turn it to ice."

"Making you an ice-water type dragon like my zanpaktou."

"Yeah. Strange, isn't it?" The dragon paused. "Anyway, watch!"

He skimmed low over the water and let his tail create a trail through the surface. Instead of forming back together, the water continued to split, moving upwards against gravity and twisting into a new shape. With a quick flip that disoriented Toshiro somewhat the blue dragon sent a blast of icy breath at the curling water shape, freezing it solid. Two pillars of twisting water became crystal blue ice pillars. It was quite a beautiful sight.

"I can tell you'll be a powerful dragon." Toshiro commented. "Now…you'll probably need to find a way to revert ice back to water, the animals here need this lake."

"Uh…right." Myndræl sighed. "Well, I can at least break it into smaller pieces, and then the sun can do the rest." His eyes lit up. "Actually, Shaderunner can melt it. He's a dark-fire dragon but it should work like fire."

"If you go get him I'll try to break it down to make it easier. Shaderunner's only a few decades older than you, his fire will still be weak."

"I'm on it." Dropping his companion off by the lakeside, Myndræl took off for Dragon Isle where the others dragons lived.

Toshiro let his Spiritual Pressure increase and focused it onto the ice pillars, watching as they crumbled under the weight and eventually crashed back down into the lake bed. The aquatic life would probably need to be replaced now, unless magic somehow protected them too, and the lake was currently a mass of shattered ice, but otherwise things would be fine.

"Hitsugaya."

The soft voice drew his attention and Toshiro turned to where Ruala stood in the tree line. Well, hopefully his dragonling's antics wouldn't make her mad. He'd never seen her mad but didn't really want to.

"You'll be starting the fifth trial tomorrow." She said instead, completely ignoring the lake of ice before her.

"I planned on it, yes." The white haired prince nodded, turning back to the skies.

"Your zanpaktou will be waiting for you. You are allowed to speak to him before your opponent appears."

"Thank you." Despite himself, Toshiro found himself smiling. He couldn't wait to get his zanpaktou back. Hyorinmaru purred loudly in agreement, just as eager. Ruala left as Myndræl came back with the roan colored dragon to melt the ice.

Though he knew the trial would be difficult, he wanted tomorrow to come faster.

* * *

**So we learn a little about his mother and also various information about being Soul King, like keeping in contact with Satan. And the mystery of the title Dragon King persists. ^^ I like being cryptic. And Myndrael is learning how to use his ice powers! He learns fast like his partner! Next chapter is his final trial and then we can start getting somewhere, like back to Karin. XD Enjoy!**


	29. Fifth Trial of Power

Once more, the Ice Prince stood at the base of the mountain, teal eyes staring up at its peak. Behind him stood Ruala and Myndræl, Sofia in hawk form on the former's arm.

"She'll be waiting at the top with Hyorinmaru." Ruala said, lifting her arm where her white bird darted upwards. "You can speak to him while on the mountain now."

It was all he could do not to just Flash Step straight to the top.

"I'll be down soon." He said to them and started his way back up. Once on the path he started using Flash Step up the path. Magic prevented a straight up approach, but he could use it on the path itself.

Back at the start, Myndræl let out a whine.

"I hate not being able to tell him things." The dragon growled.

"I'm sorry, Myndræl, dragons generally hate hiding things from their partners." Ruala put a hand on the dragon's side. "But you weren't supposed to know either."

"You won't hurt him, will you?"

"I'll try not to, but he has to be tested to his limit."

A low rumble accompanied by a downcast expression from the dragon made Ruala frown, now uncomfortable.

"He will make it. I promise he will. Your partner is very strong and still growing."

The dragon gave a snort but looked a little less depressed, walking away towards the lake. While his partner trained in the trials, he worked on his ice powers by the lake. Ruala had moved the aquatic life to a hidden pond under the mountain after Toshiro had released the source of his power, correctly foreseeing that the ice wielders would continue to use the lake.

She watched the dragon walk away for a moment longer before she headed up the mountain.

After a few more quick Flash Steps, Toshiro arrived at the mountain peak, an archway of stone marking the end of the path and the entrance to a cave inside. He noticed a shift and realized there was actually a portal. Probably a good thing, the inside of the mountain peak didn't seem like a very big place to fight, nor would the inside be good for his powers.

His eyes darted up to the white hawk sitting atop the archway, a long blade hanging from a chain in its beak.

"Hyorinmaru!"

Sofia lowered the sword down and Toshiro was quick to grasp it, the familiar blade in his hands once more filling him with joy. The dragon spirit let out a roar of victory and when Toshiro looked briefly into his Inner World, he could finally see the ice dragon there, right where he belonged, wings spread wide and icy scales gleaming.

"Go ahead and talk to him for a bit." Sofia said, having reverted to her cat form. "Your opponent will wait for you inside."

He nodded and unsheathed his zanpaktou, the metal glinting dangerously in the light. He stabbed it into the ground and sat before it, closing his eyes again and quickly diving into his Inner World.

The minute he opened his eyes he found himself being wrapped fondly in icy coils, ruby eyes staring down at him with pride.

"**Once more we are together.**" The dragon purred.

"Let's agree to NEVER let this happen again." Toshiro chuckled.

"**Never. I am never to leave your side again, not even for a moment.**"

"I promise."

"**Now,**" The dragon lifted his head high, "**Let us prove just how powerful we've become. Now that I've been able to reconnect with you like this I can feel the change in our power.**"

"Try not to get too power hungry."

"**I simply wish to see what has changed.**"

Shrugging, Toshiro settled for a pat on the dragon's body before he returned to reality. He had an opponent to face.

As he stood and placed Hyorinmaru at his back once more, feeling so much better as he did so, Sofia morphed into a smaller bird and alighted on his shoulder to travel with him through the portal. Together they disappeared into the darkness.

They came out to what looked like the top of a completely different mountain, the top flat and large. It wasn't as cold as he expected it to be for such a height, and there was no snow or even frost. It was barren and dry with no wind whatsoever. Teal eyes scanned the flat rock for sign of his opponent. Sofia lifted off his shoulder and flew forward, catching his eye and drawing it to a figure he'd overlooked, though how was anyone's guess. It was if she was just suddenly…there.

"I see you're surprised." Ruala said softly, dressed in the clothing of the Royal Guard.

"Of…of course I am!" Toshiro snapped. "Are you…are you the one giving me the final trial?"

"That is correct."

"But why? If the final trial is to fight you, who did you fight?"

"I fought a being made by the Elementals that possessed all of their power in order to match my own strength." Ruala put her hand to the side and Sofia followed, morphing into her panther form. "Since you do not have all elements as I did, I am restricted. I will be using elements that would be most harmful to your own. Fire, Lightning, Earth and Flora. Your power is Ice, Water and Air."

"Air?" Toshiro raised an eyebrow. "My zanpaktou is an ice-water type."

"Your zanpaktou controls the weather, which manipulates Air. You can't control that as well as Ice and Water, but you do have it. You have inherited some power over Light as well from your father, so I will also be using Darkness."

'_**She's right; your power has taken on more of a Light quality over the course of these trials.**_' Hyorinmaru noted.

"Ready?" Ruala hit her wrists to her side and swords shot out from within her sleeves, startling him. They rested atop her hands, which gripped onto a small handle.

Toshiro unsheathed his blade, a little unsettled with having to fight a Royal Guard, and such a timid one no less. But he couldn't let that bother him, she was powerful, he knew that. If he remembered right, Eilsitha the cat had said she could only use one element at a time. If he could figure out which one she was using he could find a way to counter it. Then again, how fast could she switch elements?

"Ready." He finally replied and pushed aside his worries. He needed to treat this like an actual battle.

He noticed something odd. Ruala's left eye of amber had switched colors. It was now a bright electric blue. He'd seen gold and white before, what did the colors mean?

She leaped into the air and swiped her blade across at him, sending out a shockwave of lightning from the static in the air. He created the energy dragon to cut it off before Flash Stepping underneath her and swinging his blade up, creating a wave of ice-water. He wasn't even in Shikai yet.

The eye changed color again, now blazing red, and she held both blade tips together pointing at the oncoming wave before sliding them across each other, creating a spark. A fireball formed and shot forward, cancelling out his ice.

'_Her eye switches depending on the element she uses!_' He quickly realized. '_So the blue before was Lightning, and red is Fire._'

The woman landed and rushed him with her swords, her eye now a darker amber-orange color. Which one was that? Their blades clashed, Hyorinmaru letting an icy mist seep off his blade to try and freeze hers. She struck down with the other and Toshiro used Flash Step to avoid her blade. It still managed to graze his arm and he noticed a dark aura covering the wound, making it hurt worse than it should for such a small nick.

'_That was Darkness, then._' He growled, unable to use Healing Kido as she rushed him again. '_Light and Darkness are opposites, though. If I have a little power over light then I should be able to get rid of the darkness and heal it._'

'_**I will do so, focus on your fight**_.' Hyorinmaru rumbled.

Trusting the dragon to fix things, he clashed blades with Ruala once more, making sure not to get cut. She was a lot faster than he'd expected, and having two blades made it that much harder to block, let alone attack. He was purely on defensive.

His wound froze over and the pain vanished; Hyorinmaru had done it.

'_Let's see how powerful Shikai is now._' He mused and moved away from Ruala, now standing at the edge furthest from her. She could close it in seconds but she hesitated before doing so, seemingly wondering why he'd moved so far.

"Reign over the Frosted Heavens," He chanted, rejoicing in the familiar phrase, "Hyorinmaru!"

The sky thundered and grew dark as clouds rolled in from nowhere, smothering the mountain top in a blizzard. A dragon of ice-water shot out from the tip of his blade and curled above him like his energy dragons did, waiting for the command to fly. Ruala's eye switched to red, Fire to counter Ice. Toshiro held the crescent chain-blade in his left hand, holding the slightly longer blade in his right.

"Am I supposed to defeat you?" He questioned as they stared one another down. "Or is there something you're trying to get out of me in this fight?"

"That all depends." Ruala spoke a little louder than her usual soft tone. Then again she kind of had to in order to be heard over the raging winds. "What do you think I want?"

"I don't really know."

"There's no guarantee that you finish this test today. It may take several days for you to prove what needs to be proved, something only you will know to do."

"Is it my control over my powers that needs to be proved?" He saw Ruala blink in surprise. "All these trials have been about raising and controlling my Spirit Energy. I would assume the final test had something to do with that as well. I don't even know what kind of change has undertaken my zanpaktou, if there's anything new I can do. In a way, this test is to help me find that out."

"Yes, it is." She smiled slightly. "You were able to connect the dots easily."

"I'm not a prodigy for nothing." Toshiro spun the chain-blade.

The woman did something he didn't expect; she put her hood up. Now he couldn't see the top of her face, meaning he couldn't tell which element she was using. He scowled and thrust his blade forward, the ice dragon that had been waiting behind him launching forward, jaws open wide. Before she'd put the hood up she was going to use fire, so he had the ice dragon made more of water.

She dug the tip of her blade into the ground and slashed upward. The ground itself moved upwards and blocked the dragon, which Toshiro quickly froze over. The ice expanded and broke through the rocky barrier, but Ruala had leaped into the air and was sending a volley of lightning bolts at him. Damn, she switched fast. Didn't matter that she could only use one at a time, her ability to switch quickly left her enemy wondering which one she was using, unable to predict it by the color of her eye with her hood up. She'd found a way to cover the weakness in her power with just a change in wardrobe.

He did not expect this fight to be easy. He never had.

* * *

**Hm, sometimes I like cliffhangers and sometimes I don't...this is one of the latter. I think i'll post the second part of the fight as well so the trials will finally be finished ^^ What happens after i'll leave a mystery. Enjoy!**


	30. West Mark of Power

Another hour into the fight and the two showed no signs of slowing. The mountain top was coated in frost, not that it disturbed their quick movements in any way. Over the last hour Toshiro had managed to improve his speed in order to block her quick strikes, as well as catch onto a slight shift in the air when she changed elements. It was still too subtle to predict which one she was using until she used it, but if he could focus on it more perhaps he could find a way to counter it.

Shikai was all well and good, but he was starting to exhaust the resources he had in that form. His dragons shifted from ice to water and back again much quicker on his command, and he found that infusing them with Spirit Energy increased the damage they did. The chunk missing off the mountain side could attest to that. He could change the direction of the chain-blade with simple thought and the blizzard raging around them was stronger than any he'd ever brought to him before in Shikai.

But it wasn't enough. She was too quick with element shifts even for his newfound power, and he found Lightning and Earth were becoming more of a weakness to him than Fire now, as they were harder to put out.

"Bankai!" It was time to see how much this power had changed. "Daiguren Hyorinmaru!"

Ruala backed away quickly from the massive burst of ice that enveloped the young prince to avoid being speared. That was different, he could use it to his advantage, going into Bankai when an enemy was near and catching them in the spikes formed.

The sphere of spikes broke away and Toshiro spread his ice wings. They were much lighter now, closer to white, as well as lighter in weight, thinner. They still looked diamond hard but it was much easier to move them in subtle ways for better flying, plus they had a more finite shape, the ice forming into razor edged feathers. The dragon head that held onto the handle of his zanpaktou over his right hand and the talons over his other hand and feet were sharper as well as lighter, the brand on his hand now showing through onto the dragon head's forehead. His movements weren't as restricted by bulky ice and it still did its job of defending him. Looking back at the tail he saw sharp points of ice on the end, perfect for slamming into an opponent.

'_**Our Bankai has become rather impressive**_**.**' Hyorinmaru pointed out. '_**I do think it's finally complete.**_'

'_I knew I'd get it one day, but not like this._' Toshiro replied, turning back to Ruala and holding up his blade. The blizzard had increased its intensity but he lowered it back down with a simple thought.

'_**There is more to learn now, and your attacks already learned will be more refined. Use them well.**_'

They sensed a shift in heat as Ruala lit her twin blades aflame, apparently using fire now. She'd used the same trick with lightning before and he did not want to cross blades with her again like that. He should have seen it coming, really, but he'd had a small hope it wouldn't shock him since it was magic. Physics apparently still applied.

"I can see why the dragons have chosen you as their future king." Ruala spoke up, the flaming blades out beside her. "In Bankai you become a dragon."

"I suppose." Toshiro replied. "I didn't think of that at the time."

"Shall I call you Dragon Prince, then?"

"I think I'll stick to Ice Prince. I've just started getting used to that one since I've been called that before."

"Very well."

She rushed forward again. For such a normally timid woman she was surprisingly battle hardened, almost assassin like. He vaguely wondered how Soi Fon would view her. She'd probably like her fighting style, but disagree with the 'flashy' magic.

He shook that thought away. He needed to stop looking back on his old life if he ever wanted to move forward.

With a quick flap of his wings he matched her speed and their opposite blades clashed.

"_Ice Dragon Swirling Tail._"

At his command a wave of ice shot off the tip, forcing her back, and spiked out in a crescent wave. She leaped up in an attempt to get over it and strike him from above.

"_Void Sever._" He added on to his last command, slicing upward through the air. A wave of ice now shot upwards towards the approaching guardian.

Ruala wasted no time creating a burst of flame that protected her from the ice, though it sent her off course. He took advantage of this with his flight ability and knocked her out of the sky. She twisted through the air and landed on her feet with the grace of a cat. He wasn't really surprised by that, considering her familiar's main form was a cat.

Speaking of, where had the panther vanished to? While keeping up with the fight he looked around for where the white creature had hid, possibly waiting for him to go to the right spot. He couldn't find her and there was no place to hide.

"_Icicle Flock!_" He shouted, sending out a barrage of dagger-like icicles.

The flame extinguished and for a brief moment Ruala looked a little tense before she created a barrier of thick vines. Flora, she hadn't used that one yet. Probably because ice killed plants. Why was she using it, then? There had to be something about that element that made it a weakness to him.

"Spread thy Blooms, Parlivor!"

'_Wait, I thought she didn't have a zanpaktou!_' Toshiro's eyes widened.

'_**She doesn't, look.**_'

Sofia was glowing with a soft pink light, having come from her bird form hidden in her master's hood. No wonder he couldn't find her. The glow spread upward into a thin and towering figure. When the glow dimmed she had become some sort of plant monster, body a long and thin stalk with spindly black legs, head tangled vines with a mane of pin petals and four beady black eyes. Large butterfly wings rest on its back though it obviously couldn't fly with its roots dug in. Three smaller flower heads sat periodically down the vine.

"What…is that?"

"Each elemental has a single beast that embodies its powers." Ruala explained. "When I mastered each element, Sofia was able to copy that form. This is Parlivor, the creature of Flora."

Toshiro held his sword up, wondering what this beast could do.

"_Wicked Roots._"

Parlivor shrieked and struck its claws into the ground. Underneath his feet, the ground shifted, giving way to razor sharp plant roots. He was quick to take to the sky.

"_Thorn Barrage!_"

The sky was not safe either as black thorns were launched off the beast's back and right towards him. He curled his wings around himself as a shield, able to feel the thuds as each thorn slammed against the ice. It was easy to replace what was broken, though.

Once the barrage was over, he spread his wings and sliced through the air. A winged ice dragon powered by his Spirit Energy burst from the tip and soared towards the flower beast.

Parlivor then vanished, Sofia darting away in a white cheetah form with light brown spots. She barely avoided the large dragon of ice.

"Drown thy Enemies in Darkness, Tenamancia!" Ruala commanded and this time Sofia glowed black.

She morphed into a six legged panther with leathery black skin and eyes of gold, long saber fangs gleaming in the light shining from the snow. Fire circled her ankles and the tip of her tail a blazing black fire that stole away color. With a movement of Ruala's hand the panther launched upwards, jaws open wide.

'_**Only light will stop it.**_' Hyorinmaru warned.

'_I don't know how to use that._' Toshiro held his blade up and blocked the incoming attack before ducking away, using his tail to send the panther back to the ground with a crash. Tenamancia snarled and tensed to spring again.

'_**Not on its own, but the light is merged with my ice now.**_'

'_Alright then._'

He dove downwards and to the side, forcing the panther to run after him.

"_Breath of Shadow_." Ruala chanted and the beast stopped, eyes turning red and black fire blazing larger. It held no heat, only a bitter chill that reeked of darkness and fear.

'_Crap._' The Ice Prince scowled and turned himself to face the creature.

Something flashed into his head and he decided to try it out, as it seemed like a good way of defending against whatever dark power the beast was about to spew forth. He held his blade upright before him and crossed his left arm over his right at the wrist.

Tenamancia narrowed ruby eyes and lowered her head to the ground, breathing deeply.

Toshiro focused his Spirit Energy into the blade, lighting it up in the same icy-white blaze his Spiritual Pressure normally took. The blade became coated in frost.

At the same time the two fighters unleashed their attacks. The black beast gave out a roar and the area became much darker than before as black wind tore from its mouth and cut through the air towards Hitsugaya. As a counter, Toshiro tossed up his blade and caught it backwards in his left hand, putting his right back onto the hilt before stabbing it into the ground. The focused energy in his blade rocketed forward across the earth in a wave of white light, instantly freezing over as the light moved onwards before shattering into deadly shards that scoured the earth.

The light hit the black wind dead on and smothered the darkness, freezing the black wind before shattering. That did not seem to be the end, though, as Toshiro retracted his blade from the ground and pointed it forward at his target; Tenamancia. The shattered shards still lingering changed their direction and shot through the air towards the beast.

"_Magic Fang!_" Ruala appeared in front of Tenamancia with her blades charged of Spirit Energy above her head. She thrust both down and the two energy crescents cut through the air, destroying the barrage of ice shards just as it was also destroyed.

Toshiro grimaced; if she'd stepped in that meant his attack was indeed capable of what he'd thought it was, and that was to kill quickly. It sort of reminded him of Byakuya's Senbonzakura in how it was a vast amount of small ice shards capable of slicing through his target. It was a two part attack, though, just like Ice Dragon Swirling Tail had a second part to let him launch it skyward. The first was the wave of ice-light, the second being the shards launching towards his target.

"Impressive." Ruala said, finally sounding somewhat out of breath; not that he wasn't out of breath either. "You did not speak that attack's name."

"It doesn't have one yet." Toshiro replied. "It was…a spur of the moment reflex."

"I see. I wonder how many other attacks I can surface in your mind through this battle."

"I guess that means I'm not done yet."

"Sadly, no. you have not proven what needs to be proved."

A white eyebrow raised in question.

"You are close, though. I suppose I should have known you'd finish today. Show me how much more control you have, it is already quite refined."

"Very well, I'll take that challenge."

As time went on, the mountain became further scarred by various elements of destruction, yet the destructors were not ready to call it quits. The fight would continue until Ruala saw fit to stop it. Toshiro's energy was not yet exhausted, and he was still missing an important piece that would signal the end.

She was just about to revert Sofia to another elemental beast form, Toshiro having revealed the beginning of another new and devastating attack, one that turned the very ground into a valley of icy death with unforgiving spikes and instant frostbite, when she noticed what she'd been looking for the entire fight.

"Enough." She called, calling Sofia off. The familiar was in dragon form and quickly let go of Toshiro, her claws having been locked with his blade, and landed by her side. "We are done."

"What do you mean?" Toshiro let his valley of ice spikes break apart so he could land safely upon the frosted glass surface of the mountain top.

She let go of the handles to her blades and they contracted back into her sleeves, also putting down her hood. Her eyes had returned to normal. Toshiro remained in Bankai, blizzard still raging, in case she was planning anything.

"Your hand." She said.

Blinking curiously, he looked down to where the mark of his birthright showed through onto the dragon's head over his hand. There he noticed it, a difference in the four pointed star, the west prong now showing the Kanji symbol for Power.

"The Five Trials are complete." Ruala brought his attention away from the mark, him looking up at her with a surprised expression. "It's time we return. Your power has been considered worthy of the name Soul King."

Composing himself, Toshiro simply nodded and sealed his Bankai, the ice breaking off of him and his sword returning to its normal length where he sheathed it on his back again, the weather returning to normal. Sofia reverted to her cat form and jumped into his arms, to his surprise, purring loudly and congratulating him on his success. Ruala giggled at that before creating the exit portal.

Time to return home.

* * *

**Yeah there's probably lots of questions here. Ask away! I like talking ^^ Now he has one of the marks and can get a move on with becoming king. Enjoy!**


	31. Setting a Date

"Oh, I want to have a party!" Sylfie squealed as Ruala finished telling them about what had happened on the mountain. Toshiro scowled at her and stayed next to Myndræl, the dragon having been the first to greet him off the mountain.

"A party, really?" He said to her.

"Hey, you passed the trials in record time, and at such a young age too." Sylfie snapped back. "Besides, I've been gone for weeks on business; I need something to get my high spirits back."

"You have plenty of that."

"You'd be surprised." Ralæn snickered. "You'd think she's the kid around here with how much energy she has, and nothing you say can put her down."

"I suppose that's good for something." He shrugged.

"Something?" Sylfie accused, darting over and poking at his chest. "It's my high spirits that keep everybody up and moving. If I wasn't here the depression and angst in this realm would be nauseating!"

"I'll take your word for it." The prince pushed her hand away.

The woman's daughters giggled at that and Myndræl smirked.

"Anyway, to celebrate." Sylfie quickly changed subjects.

"I only got one symbol; it's not really that much to celebrate." He argued.

"Nephew of mine." She tsked, putting an arm over his shoulder. "You fail to see the point here. Must I spell it out for you?"

"Humor me."

"You, child, are the youngest Soul Prince ever to be called to the throne. You're the youngest to gain a dragon companion; your own zanpaktou is a dragon! Also, you defeated the Five Trials in three and a half weeks. The fastest those were ever done was in five weeks, one week per trial, and done by the woman you just fought with today on the mountain, who happens to be the most powerful Avaintha of all. What's more, you've been named the Dragon King! How can you not see what's to celebrate!?"

"I realize I learn fast, I am considered a prodigy, but I don't see why we have to celebrate."

"Good Gaia, someone help me!" Exasperated, the green haired woman threw her arms up and walked away.

"Uh…Gaia?" Toshiro turned to Ralæn.

"We come from a line of elves, remember?" She shrugged. "One of our gods was the goddess of the earth itself, Gaia. I'm sure you've heard us use it before."

"Guess I was focused on something else…"

She just shrugged and walked away.

"You're no help at all!" Sylfie accused.

"Mom," Ralæn put her hands on her mother's shoulders, "I love your parties, I really do, but sometimes you get WAY too overboard."

The green haired woman pouted and let the older twin finally return indoors. Instead, she turned for her other daughter for assistance. Taken aback, Ælfwyn looked around nervously for an escape.

"Um…well…perhaps just a little one, mother." She smiled sheepishly.

"Alright, alright." Sylfie waved her off. "A little one, then. As long as I can have one!"

"You're crazy." Toshiro deadpanned.

"And you get to endure it for one more day." She ruffled his hair, causing him to scowl, before darting off inside.

"Oh dear…" Ælfwyn sighed heavily. "I better make sure she keeps it small."

With that the Greenleaf Family was gone, leaving only their adopted Avaintha, the Soul Prince and his ice dragon. The second let out a pent up breath and leaned against the cold body of his dragon, letting it soothe him. It was hard to keep up with Sylfie on a daily basis. There had to be something he could do to relieve some stress other than taking things out on the surrounding woodlands. The poor trees didn't deserve to be frozen by his annoyance.

Well, he'd finished the Five Trials finally, which meant he had enough control over his Spiritual Pressure to return to the Soul Society for a brief visit. That was welcoming. He wondered how soon he could go. A thought hit him and he turned to the silent girl still standing with him in the room, playing with Sofia to pass the time.

"What's the date?" He questioned. "I've lost track."

"May 4th, I think." Ruala replied, confused.

She saw him think to himself for a moment, the blue dragon beside him looking at the boy curiously. Why did he want to know the date?

"You did say I could visit the Soul Society when I finished the trials, yes?" She could tell he knew the answer but was confirming it, just in case. She nodded. "I think…I'll go there in two days, so I can prepare."

"May I go with you?" Myndræl perked up.

"I'm not sure how the Soul Society would react to a real dragon showing up, I don't want to risk anyone coming after you." Toshiro replied, shaking his head to the dragon. The blue dragon pouted but understood what he was getting at.

"Is there something special about May 6th?" Ruala questioned after counting the days down to that date.

"Not…particularly." He avoided her gaze. "I just…want some time to prepare, is all. I haven't seen them in a few weeks…I'm not sure what to do."

She lifted an eyebrow in question but set it aside for now. That date was special but as for why, that was none of her business. She was to be the one to go with him, most probably, so she'd find out. Besides, she had to build his trust in her back up, and prying into secrets before getting permission would lose her those points. At least the Fear hadn't progressed. He was repressing it quite well. The light power he'd inherited from his father did help him, which gave her time. His confidence in his powers was also a boost that prevented the fear from spreading.

He left shortly after that, Myndræl curling up to sleep for the night. Toshiro spent most of the evening reading again, trying to finish it. Since he'd read through it for a whole day he'd almost completed it, but the print was small and the pages many, even his quick reading skills wouldn't let him finish within a day or two. And there were still many things left unanswered. That information would probably come from his father, passed down by word just like the location of the King's Key was passed down verbally through the Head Captains.

'_**You could have told her.**_' Hyorinmaru grunted, the zanpaktou resting close by his master's side, one hand resting on the sheath as if to make sure he was still there.

'_Even in my head it sounded…awkward. There's no way I would have said it out loud._' He argued.

'_**Well, she will find out.**_'

'_Obviously, it's not like I'm trying to hide it from her._'

'_**On another note, then, what do you plan on saying to the birthday girl?**_'

'_I don't know…sorry, I guess. I'll think of something. This will probably be the last time I can visit for a long time, at least until this demon man business is over._'

'_**She'll strangle you.**_'

'_It's not like I have any other choice!_' He outwardly scowled and closed the book; after saving the page of course.

'_**Which is why she'll strangle you.**_'

'_That's hardly fair_.'

'_**She tends not to care, if you've noticed.**_'

'_Oh I've noticed. She's far too much like her brother for her own good_.'

'_**I wouldn't say that. Perhaps she's just…rebellious.**_'

'_And her brother's not?_'

The dragon snorted and did not answer, deciding not to argue on that point. Now was not the time anyway, it was a good thing he was even considering going back when they had so much to do.

With the book already set aside, Toshiro decided to retire early that night and lay down to sleep, wondering what to do tomorrow while he waited. Then again…Sylfie was planning her 'small' party, so he had something to do. And he still hadn't explored the rest of his father's level of the palace, so there was always that. Yes, he had plenty to do while he waited.

* * *

**After the trial silliness ^^ Next chapter he goes back to visit friends, and the one after that he visits the Living World ;) Enjoy!**


	32. Snow's Return

"Hinamori!" Came a sing-song voice and the Squad Five Lieutenant huffed. She was doing work at the moment and her Captain was asleep.

"Keep it down, Rangiku." Momo shushed the strawberry blonde. "The Captain is cranky when he gets woken up."

Rolling her eyes, Rangiku instead pulled the smaller girl out of the office and into the Squad Five courtyard.

"Shouldn't you be doing your work, Ran?" Momo questioned. "Captain Thane doesn't let you get away with slacking any more than Shiro did, and he also doesn't let you push it on him."

"Yeah, he's sneaky that way." Rangiku frowned. "But that's not important. There's something I wanted to…"

She trailed off, spotting something interesting in the sky. Curious, Momo followed her gaze. There she spotted a large white butterfly coming towards them in lazy sweeps, as if it wasn't in any hurry to get there.

"That's not a Hell Butterfly." Momo mused aloud, reaching a hand out for it.

"I've never seen a butterfly like that." Rangiku agreed, watching as the rather large butterfly alighted lazily onto the young girl's finger.

"_All Captains and Lieutenants are asked to head to the house of Kukaku Shiba by noon for the arrival of the Royal Guard._" The butterfly relayed aloud, the recorded voice being a soft female tone. Once relayed, it took off once more and headed skyward, its next location unknown.

"The Royal Guard." Rangiku frowned again. "What do they want with us now?"

"Do you think it's about Toshiro?" Momo's expression quickly became panicky as she turned to her fellow Lieutenant, hand grasping the pendant around her neck. "Did something happen to him?!"

"I'm sure he's fine." Rangiku assured, though she also looked concerned. "Come on, the others are probably heading over. We should head over."

"Captain Hirako is still asleep…"

"Oh…well, you go wake him up. I'll see to my Captain and then we'll all meet up there."

"Got it."

The two parted ways, Matsumoto using Flash Step since she had much farther to go. She wondered if Kadin had already gotten the message or if he was too busy to even notice. Probably the former; that man was very sharp sighted even for a Soul Reaper.

She happened to catch him as he was walking out of the barracks, slipping on his haori. Unlike most Captains he preferred to not wear it while in his own division grounds, he was easily recognizable and it was always slung over his shoulder in case he had to head out in a hurry like today.

"Guess you got it before I did, considering where you were." He nodded to her. "Come on, let's see what the Royal Guard want."

"Right."

The duo quickly left.

In the Squad One barracks, Yamamoto raised a gray eyebrow.

"Again?" He mused aloud. "Don't tell me there's more royalty within our ranks that I don't know about. I'm tired of losing Captains."

The aging man looked down at the letter he had just finished.

"I suppose I'll give this to Lieutenant Kuchiki while we're there to give to her." He sighed and neatly folded up the letter, slipping into his uniform for safe keeping.

That done, he joined his Lieutenant outside his office and together they headed over to the Rukongai area the Shiba house currently resided in to see what the guardians could possibly want.

The first to arrive there were Squads Two, Ten and Seven with minimal time between them and they were quick to notice the Tenchuren already fallen into the ground, empty of anyone. Did that mean the Royal Guards were inside the Shiba home?

"I wonder what they want." Komamura said aloud what they were all thinking, amber eyes looking for a sign of people, brown fur tousling in the wind.

"It's not our place to know, we were simply asked to be here." Soi Fon replied, arms crossed. "They'll approach us when they're ready."

Kadin looked back at Rangiku to see her fidgeting nervously. He could guess what she wanted to know so badly and let her be, no point trying to make her feel bad to make her stop or get her hopes anymore. Squads Four, Five, Eight and Thirteen came next, Momo heading over to Rangiku where the two girls waited nervously, Rukia joining them to try and calm them down.

It didn't take long for the rest of the squads to make it, Squad One arriving last and standing ahead of the others.

A familiar figure stepped out of the Shiba house with said woman by her side, a smirk on her face. Was this some sort of joke? They really hoped not. If Yamamoto remembered right, the timid one was Ruala Nakryin, the one who had helped Hitsugaya to realize who he was before taking him away.

"What need do you have to summon us here?" Yamamoto spoke in a calm and respectful tone despite his annoyance. "Is there another prince among us?"

A few of them snickered but Ruala shook her head.

"Actually, she brought the first one back." A different voice responded and a second figure came out of the house.

Several eyes widened and mouths dropped as they recognized the head of white hair and bright teal eyes. Toshiro did seem a little taller now, but there was no mistaking him. No one had such gravity defying snowy spikes like he did.

"It's good to see everyone again." He smiled softly.

"It's only been a few weeks." Yamamoto replied, bowing his head. Though he might have been far older, the boy was a prince, marking him as higher status. Several others followed suit and Toshiro frowned.

"Well, I can only stay for a little bit."

"Fine by me!" A familiar voice shouted happily and he was suddenly pulled into a very tight hug. At least he was tall enough not to be suffocated by her breasts, but her grip on him was tight enough to take his air away. "I'm so glad you came back, Captain!" She let go of him in surprise and he took that chance to get his breath back. "Oh, sorry, I shouldn't call you that anymore. Force of habit."

"That's fine." He cleared his throat. "Nice to see you too, Matsumoto."

"I suppose you'll be staying in your former squad barracks for now?" Yamamoto chuckled in amusement at the reunion.

"Not the night, no, but it wouldn't hurt to see how my former squad is doing." Toshiro replied. He spotted his sister among the gathered Soul Reapers and gifted her a small smile, glad to see she was fine. She approached him.

"You've gotten taller, Shiro." She said to him and his brow twitched.

"Of course I did." He grumbled. "Honestly, Momo, when will you stop calling me Shiro?"

"Never." She smiled and giggled, leaving him to sigh. After being called Ice Prince so many times he actually welcomed the nickname, but he wouldn't tell her that; she seemed to know, anyway.

Seeing as his visit wasn't official business, the others relaxed and greeted the young prince with more familiarity, and he actually seemed to prefer that for once. Well, Yamamoto mused, he didn't work as hard for the position or prince as he did Captain, which must be one reason. Toshiro was a person who only took what he'd earned through hard work, such as his rank. His position as prince was forced on him, therefore something he thought he hadn't earned.

A few of the others left as they weren't interested, such as Squad Twelve since Mayuri never liked the boy, so there were fewer people crowded around.

"What made you decide to come back so early?" Rukia questioned.

"I wanted to make sure Matsumoto hadn't burned the office down and that Momo was taking care of herself."

"You worry too much, Shiro." Momo huffed. "I'm fine, really, you need to worry about yourself and being a prince and all that."

He grimaced.

"I'm really not that fond of it." He grumbled.

"Hey, kid." A gruff voice snapped and Toshiro turned, scowling as he was called the one thing he still despised being called no matter the situation. He was met with the frowning face of Kenpachi. "Where'd all your Spiritual Pressure go? Usually it gets colder when you show up."

The others all blinked in surprise, realizing what Kenpachi had said. They could hardly sense the boy's Spirit Energy, it was heavily suppressed.

"The first thing I did upon my arrival in the Soul King's Realm was take a set of trials to raise my Spirit Energy." Toshiro replied, his familiar icy façade returned. "It's increased rather largely, so as a result I had to suppress it."

"Increased, you say?" Kenpachi now grinned wickedly, his pink haired attachment laughing. "By how much, do you think?"

"Ten times." The others gasped as he said this and Yamamoto's eyes opened wider in surprise.

"Perfect." Zaraki's hand went to the hilt of his blade.

A blade was pointed at him from Ruala's sleeves, not a zanpaktou to be sure but obviously deadly, not to mention centimeters from his neck. He paused, scowling at the interruption.

"I'd rather not fight here." Toshiro spoke. "Nakryin was adamant about that. She'll prevent anyone from fighting me."

"Hmph, how disappointing." Robbed of his entertainment, the large man left.

"That was close." Rangiku heaved a sigh. "Anyway, Capt-er…Prince Hitsugaya…"

"Just Hitsugaya is fine."

"Really?" He nodded and she beamed. "Right then, you haven't met the new Captain." She turned him around to face Kadin, who tensed up at being put in the spotlight. He was used to being unnoticed. "Captain Kadin Thane!"

"Uh…hi." Kadin lifted a hand in a slight wave. So this was his predecessor, the child prodigy. He'd never had a chance to get to know the boy well while in the Tenth Squad, mostly just his Lieutenant.

"I remember you." Toshiro replied, pushing Rangiku's hands off his shoulders. "Didn't you transfer to Squad Five?"

"Well, he mastered Bankai and was the best candidate, so he transferred back." Momo answered.

"At least that means you know everyone." The young prince nodded in approval. "How is everyone?"

"Still getting used to having a change in Captains." Kadin responded. "They're glad it's someone they know, though, even if I wasn't a very social person to begin with."

The white haired prince nodded in understanding before noticing something. Ruala seemed to be staring at Kadin, mouth partly open in surprise. Did she know him? She turned away quickly and returned to her silent stance off to the side and he shook it aside for now. Her distraction had reminded him of something, the reason he'd decided to visit today of all days.

"Head Captain, would it be possible for the Senkaimon to be opened for a little bit?" He turned to the aging Reaper.

"What would a prince want in the Human World?" Yamamoto replied gruffly.

"I never did say my goodbyes to the Kurosakis."

"I see…In that case, perhaps you could do me a favor." Yamamoto reached into his robes, Toshiro quirking an eyebrow, and pulled out the folded note. "I'd planned on Lieutenant Kuchiki heading to the World of the Living and giving this to Karin Kurosaki. Perhaps you could do so?"

"Karin?" Toshiro took the note, noticing there was something inside it that made it heavier.

"Yes, something slightly overdue. Today seemed like a good day to give it to her."

"It is her birthday, after all." Rangiku beamed, poking her former Captain's shoulder and causing him to scowl at her. How she missed this. "Oh, maybe that's why you came today!"

"A coincidence, that's all." Toshiro denied.

"Mhmm, of course it is." Rangiku had spotted the bond between them as fast as Yoruichi could Flash Step; it was obvious from the start. Of course, being the ice prince he was, in more ways than one now, he refused to believe it.

"I'll wait a bit before heading over." Toshiro ignored her and returned to his conversation with the Head Captain, putting the note in his robes. "There are still things I need to do."

"No rush, of course." The elderly Reaper waved him off and turned away to return to his barracks. Well, that had worked out fine. Karin was going to have a splendid birthday indeed.

"Shiro, let's go visit Granny!" Momo spoke up, eyes wide and pleading. "She misses you."

"I'd planned on it." A tiny smile was seen and Hinamori beamed.

"Several of us will be heading to the Kurosakis to see Karin a little later this evening." Rukia reported before they left. "Will you join us?"

"Count on it." Toshiro nodded.

The petite Kuchiki bowed with a smile and then the young prince was gone with Rangiku and Momo, Ruala following from a distance just to make sure.

"We better tell Ichigo." Renji came up beside her to say.

"No, let's leave it a secret." Rukia grinned mischievously. "I want to see the looks on their faces when he walks through the door."

Renji smirked; he was with her all the way.

* * *

**So everyone in the Soul Society gets to see their old friend ^^ Now off to the World of the Living! I bet some of you can guess what Yamamoto has planned for Karin in that note, hehe. Then again, maybe not. Anyway, I meant to post this earlier but I was at a convention, San Japan, for most of the day dressed as a female Riku ^^ Loads of fun. But here's today's chapter, still making sure to do that! Enjoy!**


	33. Kurosaki Birthday Surprise

There was a knock on the door to the Kurosaki household and the now seventeen year old Karin leaped to her feet with a yelled 'I got it!' and raced to the door. She almost slammed it open and beamed at the several Soul Reapers standing there.

"Rukia! Rangiku!" She hugged each woman in turned and let them in. "Hey Renji! Oh, Momo!" She hugged the petite Lieutenant. They'd met two years ago and had gotten along rather well despite their differences.

"Sorry for the surprise." Hinamori grinned sheepishly. "Here!"

She handed the Kurosaki a small gift and the teen took it gratefully.

While Momo and Rukia distracted Karin with their gifts for her, a black cloaked figure stepped inside. Ichigo noticed him, though, and confronted the silent figure.

"Hey, who are you?" He growled.

The figure lifted up his right hand. The Substitute's eyes widened considerably.

Karin let in Ikkaku and Yumichika before closing the door and joining them all in the living room. Kisuke and Yoruichi were already there with her father drinking, which Rangiku quickly got her hands on, and Ichigo's friends Uryu, Orihime and Chad were also there. She'd already gone through her birthday at school with her human friends, so she saved the afternoon for time with her family and her Soul Reaper friends. Yuzu was already chatting it off with Momo as the petite girl handed Yuzu her present, the honey-blonde finally capable of at least seeing spirits.

She was quick to notice the silent figure off to the side and frowned, wondering how he'd managed to get in. She didn't think she recognized him, being kind of short but almost her height. She was finally getting close to being five foot.

"Who are you?" She questioned crossing her arms.

Chatter quickly ceased among the Soul Reapers.

"Karin, he's brought something from the Head Captain for you." Rukia answered, breaking the tense silence.

"Couldn't one of you have brought it to me?" She tilted her head in curiosity, watching the silent figure retrieve a note from within his cloak. She took it cautiously, still unsure who the person was.

"Well, um…he's…" Momo broke off with a nervous laugh.

Deciding to find out who the messenger was in a moment, seeing as he wasn't going anywhere, she opened the letter, something falling out onto her hand.

"Is that…?" Ichigo eyes the wooden badge. "Wait a minute!"

"Ah, my darling daughter has finally gotten a job!" Isshin leaped up, preparing to tackle said daughter in a hug.

"Shut up and let me read!" Karin growled, kicking the man back. That done, she read through the note, eyes lighting up with each sentence, her grip on the Substitute Soul Reaper badge tightening. "Yes!"

"What is it?" Orihime asked with a smile, just as excited.

"The Head Captain finally gave me permission to be a Substitute Soul Reaper like my brother!" Karin said. "He says if I ever need help I can speak to one of the Captains or Lieutenants for extra training."

"Congrats, Karin." Yuzu hugged her sister. "You were waiting for that a long time, weren't you?"

"And I finally got it!" Karin did a small dance of victory and the mysterious figure smirked, amused. "Oh, right. Who the Hell are you, anyway?"

The figure sighed and reached up to pull the hood off, Karin noticing a faintly glowing mark on his right hand. She tried to remember if she'd seen that before when the hood came off and her thoughts scattered to the wind at the sight of snowy white spikes.

"Sorry for the secrecy, they insisted." Toshiro smirked at her gaping expression and motioned to the Soul Reapers he'd arrived with. "I suppose I should say Happy Birthday."

"You…" Karin was unable to form a coherent sentence. "You…Gah, I should strangle you for leaving like that!"

A few of them winced as Karin's rage wafted off of her as Spiritual Pressure. Toshiro just sighed, obviously expecting this.

"But…you did come back…" She started to calm down. "And you came for my birthday…"

Everyone was watching with baited breath. Was she going to strangle him anyway? Ruala was just outside, they hoped nothing drastic happened. They watched as she sighed before putting on a smile.

"Thanks for coming. So, do I have to call you prince?"

"Not necessarily…"

"Good, 'cause I wasn't going to." She laughed when he scowled at her. "Since you're here you get to join in on the fun!"

"Oh I'm sure that was his full intention." Kisuke snickered and Toshiro glared at him.

"You won't leave now, right?" Yuzu questioned with wide eyes and Toshiro mentally cursed. Why did the honey blonde twin have to be so convincing?

"No…I'll be staying for a few more hours."

"Perfect!" Karin rubbed her hands together like some evil scientist and he paled. "You get to tell me everything."

He gulped.

Though she'd made it seem torturous, all she really did was pull him aside and ask about what happened after he left. He'd been told what he could and couldn't tell, the latter being most of it, so he ended up getting her frustrated with roundabout answers.

"So all you can tell is you've powered up, won't tell me how, and that the mark on your hand is the proof that you're the Soul Prince?"

"If you ask the right questions I can tell you more." Toshiro replied, taking a sip from the tea Yuzu had made him. He'd made sure to tell her Happy Birthday as well, considering she was Karin's twin. She'd hugged him gratefully and this once he didn't attempt to escape it. The trials had earned him quite a lot of self-control and he could handle being uncomfortable better.

"As always you're such a cryptic." Karin grumbled.

"I do try."

"I should strangle you."

"But I came all this way just to see you." He smirked. He saw her cheeks turn a light pink and she looked away. When he said the words in his mind again he also turned away, now feeling awkward.

Hidden away in the kitchen, a few figures watched them.

"Look at them." Rangiku giggle. "They're so cute!"

"I don't like this at all." Ichigo growled.

"Oh come on." Rukia rolled her eyes at him. "Ever since they met three years ago he's been interested in her, you can't deny it."

"And your sister totally fell for him." Renji snickered.

"That doesn't mean I agree with it." The young man growled.

"He's a prince now, though." Momo mused aloud. "It's even more wrong for him to be visiting her, really, but he still did. And if they did allow it, just for him, and they ended up figuring out that they like each other…the Kurosaki Family would be married into royalty."

"I don't care about that! Isn't he being targeted?"

"He did bring his guard with him." Rangiku pointed out.

"That's not the point. He's putting her in danger."

"Ichigo." Rukia sighed. "Prince Hitsugaya is as protective of his friends as you are; he just tends to deny it while you don't care."

"He risked his life to protect me." Momo added, looking back on that briefly before quickly shaking it away.

"Okay, okay." Ichigo pinched the bridge of his nose. "I just don't want to lose another family member."

The Reapers shared saddened expressions.

"It'll be okay, Ichigo." Rukia put a comforting arm on her boyfriend's arm. "Just let it happen."

He grumbled under his breath but relented, glancing back at the pair once more before moving on to something else.

"I'm not going to stop asking questions." Karin pointed out.

"You never do." He shrugged.

"Come on, just a little information? I've been worried sick."

"Worried?" He looked at her in confusion. Why would she be worried?

"Er, well…I didn't know where you went and stuff until Sofia told me." She shifted nervously. "Hey, wanna go for a walk? It's kind of crowded here."

"Um…sure." He set his cup down and the two of them stepped outside, only a few noticing them leave but saying nothing about it. While Karin went off with the young prince, Yuzu became the center of attention.

Sitting atop the house, Ruala watched her charge walk away with the young Kurosaki, standing to follow in the shadows. Her attention shifted to a strange energy in the distance. She let Sofia follow him instead and left to check it out.

A different shadow followed the white feline.

* * *

**Kind of a short chapter...**

**Anyway, Karin decides not to strangle him since he came on her birthday despite how busy he was, though she's still a little ticked at him. time for some alone time in the next chapter XD and then whatever that shadow is. Enjoy!**


	34. Interrupted

"So you have to leave soon, huh?" Karin asked, kicking a stone ahead of her.

"Yes." Toshiro replied. "I've only just started to get used to this new position. There's still a lot I need to learn."

She nodded absentmindedly, a slight depression sinking into her heart that she didn't know the origin of. She moved onto a different topic.

"So you've obviously grown, yet you're still smaller than me." She teased.

"By, what, two inches?" He glared icily. "And I'm still growing."

"Why the sudden growth spurt, anyway?"

"Most of my power was locked away. When I found it again in my training I started to grow. My body is still adjusting to how much Spirit Energy I have, so I'm going to grow more."

"Man, I need to find more of my Spirit Energy; I want to get into the five foot range."

"Something we actually have in common." He smirked slightly.

"Who the Hell have you been hanging out with? You're more of a smart ass then you usually are!" She laughed.

"Let's just say my teacher is strange and leave it at that."

They stopped at a familiar point, the top of a hill with a short railing. The sun was nearly gone and the sky was dark.

"Huh, I didn't know you were going this way." Karin said, moving over to the railing and sitting atop it.

"I was following you." He said, preferring to stand next to her.

"Oh, well, uh…guess I just followed my feet." She shifted nervously again.

They grew quiet then as they turned to the sky, simply basking in the silent night in peace. At one point, Karin turned to look up at her white haired companion. His gaze was focused on the stars, not noticing her stare, the same expressionless face he always had present once more. But, as she looked closer, she noticed he was smiling ever so slightly, something in his eyes she couldn't quite put a name too. She grinned and returned her own gaze to the sky.

She was glad he'd come back, so very glad. When he'd revealed himself earlier she'd wanted to jump him and embrace him tightly, but she'd controlled herself, making it look like anger. After Sofia's visit she knew he was busy, and that he would probably never come see her again, because she was just some human friend, someone he could easily drop if he had to.

Yet, he came back, and on her birthday, no less. He'd remembered, like he had every year, and even being an all-powerful king-to-be wouldn't stop him from coming to her on her birthday. That made her heart swell with joy.

Of course, it just deflated again when she remembered he'd be leaving soon, probably for a very long time. She sighed.

"Something wrong?" She jumped at his voice, startled out of her thoughts.

"Yeah, fine, just thinking." She replied quickly.

He gave her a curious glance before moving to sit next to her on the railing.

"Before I forget." He held his hand out to her, something in it.

She looked at the object curiously. It was a thin silver bracelet, nothing particularly fancy about it save for a shining crystal at its center that looked like carved ice, a dragon curling around it.

"Wow." Karin took the bracelet gently, as if worried she would break the crystal. It seemed like a frail ice shard.

"My coming here has probably put you in danger." He spoke gravely. "Sofia told you about how I'm being targeted. This should keep you safe from them if they ever came after you."

"I can handle myself." Karin sat up straighter. "I'm a Substitute Soul Reaper now, I have my own zanpaktou, and I'm very close to Shikai I might add."

"These people aren't Hollows, Karin." Toshiro warned. "They're demons, powerful fighters. When one came after me before I left I was paralyzed by his voice alone, some kind of spell they have to stun the weak. And by weak I mean anyone Captain rank and under."

"That powerful?" Karin's eyes widened.

He nodded, expression downcast.

"My Spirit Energy has increased greatly and I'm still not sure I can fight with the elites one on one."

"So…I wear this, and they can't hurt me?"

"It will protect you from their magic." He watched her slip the bracelet on, the crystal flashing brighter before becoming clear. "It will also alert anyone nearby capable of helping you that you're in danger." She opened her mouth to argue, "Only when one of these demons comes, not when you're fighting Hollows. I'm sure you can handle those yourself."

"Damn right." She smirked before she slumped a bit. "Thanks, Toshiro."

Before he could reply, she wrapped him in a tight hug and his eyes widened. Why did his heart seem to skip a beat? He'd been hugged many times today. By Rangiku, Momo, Granny, and even Yuzu. So why did Karin's hug make him feel strange?

'_**I question your status as prodigy.**_' Hyorinmaru snorted at his master in amusement.

'_What are you talking about?_' Toshiro demanded, wondering what to do. Was he supposed to hug her back? He never really did. He had for Granny…but that was his grandmother, of course he'd hug her.

'_**Some other time. Now hug her back, silly Master.**_'

'_Watch yourself, dragon._'

Cautiously, Toshiro put his arms around Karin, returning the embrace. This felt so strange to him, a strange feeling he couldn't put a name to.

Karin pulled away, hiding her face from him, and he stared down at the ground, not really sure what to do now. Should he say something? He opened his mouth to do so when he sensed it, a dark energy. He shot to his feet.

"Something wrong?" He heard Karin ask. He held a hand out to quiet her, focused on a cloaked figure at the base of the hill.

"Oh, I've been spotted." A giggly voice snickered and the cloaked figure approached them. "Hey princey, how ya doin?"

"Who are you?" Toshiro demanded.

"Tsk tsk, you haven't introduced yourself." She reached up to the hood of her scarlet cloak. "Such bad manners."

The hood was flipped off, revealing the face of a very young woman, no older than eighteen, with large eyes of sapphire blue and pitch black hair in long ponytails that she had to pull from out of her cloak.

"You obviously know who I am." He argued.

"True." She winked at him and he scowled, Karin behind him reaching for the badge she'd earlier pocketed. "Alright, I'll humor you. Firiat Tavain, Demon Leader of Magiks."

"One of Dethmaiyn's people." Toshiro growled.

"Bingo!" Firiat giggled. "One of five elite leaders, I am! We're called the Solar Five Sisters and we're the most powerful of all beings. Give up now, prince boy, and I'll kill you quickly."

Toshiro found himself in a bind. Karin was right behind him, meaning he couldn't release his power here, but he needed it to fight against an elite demon. Perhaps if he focused it onto her he wouldn't need too much, as that would put his comrade in danger.

"By that look you aren't going to give up." Firiat pouted. "And I even got Luetha to lure away that nosy guard so I could kill you. Oh, there's a human."

"You seriously just noticed me?" Karin scowled.

"Nah, I just didn't think you were important." Firiat shrugged and the girl fumed, Toshiro putting an arm up to keep her back. Karin took notice to how his skin felt colder than usual; was that his increased power seeping through? "Ah…maybe I'm wrong."

Hitsugaya didn't like the look on the woman's face, how she seemed to be staring hungrily at Karin the way a cat would stare down a mouse, a wicked grin on her face.

Something white flashed by and Toshiro recognized Sofia's coloring in the form of a wolf, fangs aiming for a surprised Firiat's throat. Snarling, Firiat lifted a hand and lit it aflame.

Not staying to watch anymore, Toshiro grabbed onto Karin and ran back to the Kurosaki household. The familiar was giving them a chance to escape, they might as well take it.

'_I never should have come._' He growled to himself. '_I knew this would happen but I came anyway!_'

'_**Get her home and then find Nakryin. The bracelet will protect her and so will the Soul Reapers.**_'

'_Even all of them can't handle one of Dethmaiyn's elites. But if they're after me they should leave them alone._'

Once they'd reached the Kurosaki clinic, Toshiro let her go and turned to find Ruala.

"Wait!" Karin grabbed onto his arm, wincing at how cold he seemed to feel. "Let's get the others, they can help!"

"This isn't something they can fight." Toshiro countered. "I told you, they're too strong. Stay here and I'll draw them away; I'm not allowed to fight here."

"Why?"

"Because I'll destroy everything within a mile radius. Get inside, quick!"

"I'm not letting you fight on your own!"

"Karin, go!" His forceful tone startled her and he pulled his arm away, vanishing in a flash of light.

She stood there for a moment before her face contorted in fury and she dashed inside to alert the others. She'd be damned if he did this alone, prince or not.

* * *

**Too many OC's? Probably... But hey, I have to make up the bad guys here, plus the Soul King's Realm is still very much unknown so i'm gonna need to make up characters there. And it is a family genre, I thought it would make sense to add a little to Shiro's family tree, which means new characters. Oh well, the Solar Five I've actually had for a long time, and since the bad guy leader is also their boss in their story, I decided i'd make them his top elites, the best of the best. Prepare for chaos. Enjoy!**


	35. Demon Song

He didn't know if it was Firiat stalking him or the other one, Luetha, but either way she at least wasn't going towards the others. He paused at the river. He would need less Spirit Energy bringing the water to him, which would mean less damage caused to the area around him.

"Clever boy, finding a source of water." A female voice with a slightly French accent called him out. He turned to another figure garbed in a crimson cloak. In the pale light of the moon he saw light green hair, bangs framing her face and the rest up in a high bun, violet eyes glancing over him hungrily. A silver band went across her forehead with dangling jewels and she had rather tall ears, pointed like an elf. "Come away from there, now, I have no plans to hurt you."

"Forgive me if I think you're nothing but a liar." Toshiro snapped back, unsheathing his blade.

"That may be true." She shrugged. "But really, Prince, do you think you stand a chance?"

"Better than most."

She narrowed her violet eyes and smirked, reaching into her cloak. His grip tightened on his blade. However, it was no weapon she pulled out, but a flute, a violet one with silver markings decorated across it that shined in the moonlight.

"No man can resist my song."

Toshiro flicked the tip of his blade higher and a blast of water shot up from the river, launching towards the musician. She smirked and put the flute to her lips, playing a few notes that were actually quite beautiful. The ground beneath her gave way to a large wall of plant matter that blocked off the wave of water. The young prince turned the water to ice and broke down the barrier, but the woman had moved.

"Luetha Kornes, Demon Leader of Song." She seemed to purr before playing her song once more.

'_**Don't listen!**_' Hyorinmaru roared, blocking out a few of the notes and removing the mist that had tried to spread itself over Toshiro's eyes.

Scowling, Toshiro spread the water across the ground before freezing it over. Luetha's song cut short as the sudden ice made her lose balance and she narrowed her eyes at him, upset. He wasn't about to let her start playing again and he Flash Stepped forward, sword aiming for her heart. She vanished into shadow.

"Resilient, you are." She sighed, now a few yards to his right.

Toshiro started to let his Spiritual Pressure rise, the ground around him quickly freezing over and clouds starting to form in the sky. That was as much as he dared raise it, though, for fear of killing anyone nearby. It was enough to form a small energy dragon which he had race towards the violet eyed songstress. Even if he couldn't kill her, he could at least scare her off enough to force her to leave.

"Toshiro!" Someone called out and his eyes widened. The idiots!

Ichigo appeared by his side with Karin, Rangiku and the others, all in Soul Reaper form.

"Oh…company." Luetha grinned, lifting the flute back to her lips as she easily dodged the dragon.

"What, gonna sing us a lullaby?" Ikkaku snickered.

"Idiot, she's an enchantress." Toshiro snapped, falling into old Captain habits. "Let your guard down and you become her slave."

The woman giggled and began to play, making her point quickly as the sweet song relaxed their muscles, their swords becoming loose in their grasp. Hyorinmaru's roar kept Toshiro from falling under that spell and he spoke a silent Kido spell in his mind, something he'd learned during the trials. He cast Shakkaho at her, but she did not stop her song, simply danced to the side. He winced as a break in Hyorinmaru's roar allowed the song to latch onto his senses, dulling them and blocking out the dragon.

"Hitsugaya!" Someone shouted, bringing him back out.

A figure was thrown into the songstress and they fell back. The one thrown turned out to be Firiat, who jumped to her feet with an expression of fury. The one who had thrown her appeared by Toshiro with her blades out, her familiar alighting next to her as a panther.

"You brat!" Firiat snarled. "Why don't you stay dead, huh!? One would THINK you'd get the message by now!"

Ruala's blades lit aflame.

"You wanna fight with fire? Fine!" Firiat became cloaked in flames of her own, a hellish scarlet that made the enraged look on her face that much more demonic. "My fire always did beat yours!"

"Enough." Luetha snapped, dusting herself off and standing. "We're not to fight them."

"But-" Flames dying out, Firiat turned to the woman with a pout.

"Orders, Firiat."

"Dammit!" The blue eyes girl snarled fiercely like a caged animal and in out of spite she cast a wave of fire at them before Luetha latched onto her and they vanished into darkness.

"Crap." Ichigo cursed and lifted his zanpaktou.

Water rushed past him from the river, glowing icy white and forming into the shape of a dragon which then launched itself at the wall of fire. It collided and spread out, enveloping the crimson flames before freezing over. Once extinguished, the frozen flames broke apart and evaporated. With only one person around capable of controlling ice in the form of a dragon, all eyes turned to Toshiro.

"You all could have gotten killed." He stated, his back turned to them. "They were Demon Lords, elite killers working under Kamai Dethmaiyn, a man out to kill me. Even at my level they would have been hard to fight…they would have easily killed you."

"Now wait just a minute." Ichigo scowled, stepping in front of the young prince. Teal eyes looked up at him calmly, hiding the fact that Toshiro wanted to beat them all for showing up like they did and forcing him to lower his Spiritual Pressure. "We came to help you, you ungrateful brat, don't start shoving us aside like you did when Kusaka came around."

"I'm not." Toshiro replied. "I'm stating facts. I can't release my full power here because it's far too much. When you all showed up I had to lower down what I'd already raised. You can't even sense me right now, can you?"

"Well…no."

"It's that high. If you'll give me a moment I'll have it back to a less destructive level and I'll explain what I can."

"Hitsugaya." Ruala warned, her panther giving out a low growl.

"They'll only jump in again if I don't tell them." Toshiro cut off her argument. "They're those kinds of friends."

Ichigo blinked in surprise; Toshiro had called them friends? That was new.

"Toshiro, why is this demon guy after you?" Karin questioned, stepping forward. Her power not as high as her brother's she noticed a cold pressure around him that instinct told her not to walk into…or maybe it was the voice in her head. Her zanpaktou would do that sometimes.

"Dethmaiyn was promised the throne before I was born and now he's lost that position. He wants it back and so needs me dead."

"But if he's from the Soul King's Realm, how come he has control over demons?" Rangiku asked.

"My father thinks he has a connection to Hell somehow, allowing him to get in and control demons. Where he is now, we don't know, but he's no longer welcome in the Soul King's Realm." Toshiro's attention shifted for a moment, as if sensing something. Ruala moved as well, sending her panther out to investigate. "I should go. As long as I'm here those two will be following me."

"You have to go back to the Soul Society first, right?" Karin asked. He turned to her, nodding. "Then we'll all go. At least there we can talk without them finding us."

"There's probably more of them there." He argued. "Tavain mentioned there being five of them, we've only seen two, and there's no doubt many demons beneath them. The faster I leave the safer everyone will be."

"What, you're gonna leave us out of the fight?" Ikkaku scoffed. "Sounds like it's gonna be a Hell of a fight, too."

"It's best you don't barge into this fight." Toshiro sighed and put the hood over his head. "I'm sorry."

"Wait!" The pressure had finally gone away, Toshiro's Spirit Energy lowered to that of a Tenth Seat, and she took that chance to reach out and latch onto his arm. "Will you stop running off!? We're trying to help you!"

"You can't help me." Toshiro snapped at her and she took a step back. "Just…try not to get killed."

"There's got to be something we can do." Momo pleaded, also not wanting him to leave.

"Nothing I can think of other than stay alive."

Sofia returned, finding nothing, and she along with Ruala and Toshiro walked away from those gathered. The young prince opened a Senkaimon back to the Soul Society, leaving them all there on the banks of the river.

"Well…I can assume we're not going to sit here and wait for him, are we?" Kisuke piped up.

"Damn right." Ichigo scowled. "He wants us to stay alive, then we fight."

"If the demons can't get into the Soul King's Realm they're either going to be here or in the Soul Society." Uryu mused. "Or, perhaps, they'll be in Hueco Mundo."

"We've got Nelliel back in adult form watching over the place." Yoruichi added. "If we tell her and her Fraccion about the demons she should report to us on anything suspicious. If this Kamai character is there, she'll find him."

"What about Hell?" Rangiku argued. "Hitsugaya did say he got his army there, perhaps that's where he's hiding."

"Army or not, he's still a spirit, which means remaining down there would kill him." Isshin countered. "Let's just stick to the three realms we have access to and see what we find. Keep your guards up and train hard, I can tell these Demon Lords are more than meets the eye."

All agreed, they parted their separate ways.

Further away, Firiat fumed and cursed, hitting anything she passed as she paced back and forth.

"I coulda had her, that elemental wench!" She snarled. "I coulda strangled her! Coulda had that snow haired bastard in my hands!"

"No!" Luetha snapped and Firiat froze, startled. "Remember, Master must be the one to kill the brat. By doing so he succeeds the rightful heir and takes the throne by force, since he was chosen as a candidate before. What we need is not him but the person most important to him, remember? Did you see who it was?"

"Tch, no." Firiat rolled her eyes. "I thought I was supposed to catch him."

The woman hit her upside the head.

"Firiat, our mission is to find the person that would break him the most when they die. We need the one close to his heart. You're telling me you didn't see which girl it was?"

"Well…" Firiat scratched her head. "He was sitting with this black haired girl when I found him. But he was just staring at the ground and she wasn't even looking at him. To me it looked more like they were bored with each other."

"No awkwardness, no gifts passed?" Luetha questioned. She groaned when the black haired girl shook her head. "You have absolutely no observational skills. Alright, let's do it this way. If she's in any way the girl we're looking for, he's going to have some slight fear that we'll find her and will have given her something to protect her."

"But we are trying to find her…"

"Exactly, which means him giving her such an item makes her that much easier to find. I'm sure his daddy's told him about our power of Fear, so he'll have given her something to protect her from that. Corner her and use it. If she's fine, she's the one we want."

"And if not…" Firiat trailed off hopefully, grinning.

"She's useless." Luetha shrugged. "Do what you want with her."

"Best day ever!" Firiat darted out but the older woman grabbed her cloak.

"Not today." She hissed. "They're still on alert. Remember, our power is restricted here, too. We're not supposed to be making a scene."

"Oh, right."

Wondering why she put up with the pyro, Luetha settled in to wait. They had plenty of time yet to find their target.

* * *

**Another of the Solar Five Sisters, the enchantress. By the way, Firiat has a Japanese accent, but since they're in Japan it would sound normal. Each of the sisters is from a different world(in their original story, anyway) and all have accents similar but not exactly like Earth accents. In here they're just from ancient races and became demonic while living in different parts of the world. Anyway, enough about them, moving on! Shiro has to go back to the Soul King's Realm and as always Ichigo isn't going to sit this one out, and neither is anyone else. Enjoy!**

**Wait! Before I forget. There's this person who keeps commenting that I can't reply to so i'll have to place my replies here. Sir/Ma'am, this story clearly states that the leading roles are Toshiro and Karin, even if Karin's entry into the story was really late, not Ichigo. I can tell you want Ichigo to play a major role but to be honest I had no intention of giving him that big a part. Yes, he'll be helping in the fight, because that's what Ichigo does, but he is NOT the main character of this particular fanfiction, Shiro is, so therefore Shiro will be the strongest with the most influence and all that. Sorry to make this such a public reply but since you're a guest I can't do it privately.**

**Enjoy!**


	36. Admittance

The moment he was back in the Soul Society, Toshiro headed back to the Tenchuren with his guard and they returned to his father's realm. Now in a place where his power wouldn't cause too much terrible damage, he let some of it out and donned a scowl.

"I TOLD her not to get involved." He growled as they traveled back towards the floating palace. He saw his dragon lift off from Ruala's kingdom and head towards them.

"She was concerned about you." Ruala countered, putting her hood down. He'd already discarded the black cloak.

"I left her with her family to protect her and she runs right back out into the fight, just like her brother."

"That girl is important to you?"

"Yes! She…" Realizing what he'd just agreed to a light blush crossed his face. "She's a friend…"

"Then why only worry about her?"

"She's not as strong as her brother, she doesn't even have Shikai. Stepping into that fight would only get her killed."

"The others were in just as much danger."

"Everyone else there had at least a few years of fighting experience; she only has her talent as a soccer player."

"And yet she was willing to assist you."

"I didn't want her assistance, I wanted her to-!" He took a deep breath to calm himself. "I wanted her to stay safe."

"I'm sure she wants the same for you." Sofia said, trotting beside them in cat form. "For a prodigy you're rather blind."

"What are you talking about?" Toshiro paused them as he waited for his dragon to arrive, the ice beast no doubt worried about him.

"How long have you known Karin?" The cat questioned, examining her paw for dirt.

"Three or so years."

"Do you visit her often?"

"Whenever I had a mission in Karakura Town or a vacation day. I would help out her soccer team."

"And you care about her safety?"

"Of course I do."

"That's it, then." The cat smirked and leaped onto Ruala shoulder. "You're in love."

"I-what?" Toshiro's eyes widened. "No way! I-I'm not! She's a friend; I want to make sure my friends are safe!"

"And yet you spend more time bickering with my master about her safety and hardly mention the others."

"That doesn't mean…I'm not…" He fumbled for an answer. Him? In love? He couldn't believe it.

"Oh, look, he's lost." Sofia smirked and Ruala giggled.

Toshiro scowled at them both, temperature dropping, just as Myndræl alighted next to them. The dragon wondered what was going on but did not ask, as his companion looked to be in a foul mood. He wondered at first if perhaps the visit had gone bad, but by Sofia's smirk he knew the current foul mood had to do with her teasing. Better not to ask, then.

"How was the trip?" He questioned.

The cat's smirk was wiped off quickly and she jumped to the ground, Ruala turning to the dragon.

"Two of the Solar Five Sisters found us." She told the dragon and he gulped, having heard tales of the girls' cruelty.

"I need to return to training." Toshiro cut in. "What am I to do next?"

"You'd have to ask your father." Ruala replied.

Nodding, the Ice Prince mounted the blue dragon and they launched into the skies.

"Keep an eye on him, Sofia." Ruala whispered to her familiar. "And don't tease him, alright?"

"Rahvain honor." Her tail flicked before she morphed into a swallow to be less noticeable and took off after the dragon.

Myndræl landed atop the palace, knowing Toshiro could get to the floor on his own. As the white haired prince started moving away, though, the dragon couldn't keep quiet.

"Why do you seem so upset?" He dared, putting his head down to his partner's level.

"Oh…uh…" He trailed off, unsure how to put into words what he was thinking. "I've just…got a lot on my mind. I didn't expect two Demon Lords to have shown themselves like that."

"That is unexpected." The dragon rumbled. "I wonder how they knew you were there."

"Dethmaiyn is probably keeping everything watched. Until I have enough power to fight him I'm pretty much trapped here."

"Don't think of it like that." Myndræl huffed. "He's probably trying to get in here, too. Maybe he just wanted to make sure you didn't go into hiding again."

"Like I said, trapped."

Giving in with a sigh, the dragon stayed put while Toshiro went inside, pondering what he could do to ease some of that stress he saw. Sofia darted past and inside before he noticed.

The young prince did not return to his father's floor just yet. He'd found one of the other floors while he was exploring to pass the time and he thought to have found the level of the first ice type Soul King. The place was very cool in temperature, to his liking, and was mostly silver. He proceeded to the main room, a large space with few windows, the one thing he didn't like, and beautiful ice sculptures. He sat in the middle and laid his zanpaktou on his lap, though he did not meditate. He simply…sat there.

"You're quite obviously bothered." Sofia stated as she returned to cat form and lay beside him.

"I shouldn't have gone out." He replied. "They never would have bothered them."

"And Karin would be furious with you." Sofia reminded.

He said nothing, head in his hands.

"They could have gotten killed."

"You made sure they didn't."

"It's my fault they were threatened in the first place." Toshiro looked at the cat accusingly.

"It's your fault they're safe." Sofia pointed out.

He sighed, giving up. She was right, of course, but he had to point that out. He still felt unsettled by the presence of the Demon Lords. By the sound of it they were all five girls…were they promised something? Was there something he could do to turn them on their master? Anything to lessen the enemy's forces. He got lucky in the World of the Living that they weren't there for a fight. But then, what were they there for? His capture? Firiat was threatening his death, so he somewhat doubted that, and he shuddered to think what Luetha would have done had Hyorinmaru not saved him from her song.

"Just take a breather, Hitsugaya." Sofia rubbed her head against the boy and purred. "You were right to leave quickly, and I believe you were right to tell them what was going on. Though…do you really expect them to sit still?"

"My head says they will." Toshiro smirked slightly. "But my heart knows they won't."

"I thought so." Sofia smirked as well. "I suppose we'll have to do something. They'll train their asses off so they can help you out, we might as well give them a boost. Karin, too."

"I don't want her in this fight." Toshiro frowned.

"Why?" The cat sat up and looked at him curiously.

"Because…" He sighed. "For some reason, I really don't want to lose her. It's like when Momo was in danger, only…heavier."

Sofia wanted so badly to tease him but she'd given her master her word. She rephrased it as an innocent question.

"Can you name this feeling of yours?"

"…No, not really." He glanced at her before keeping his gaze on the blade in his lap. "But…I…I think you might be right…"

"Oh?" Sofia swished her tail, waiting for him to say it. It was about damn time.

He cast a glare at her, knowing what she was trying to do.

"Maybe I…I do have…feelings for her." His cheeks tinged pink as he spoke it out loud.

"Ah, a knight in shining armor, you are." Sofia purred. "A queen-to-be, perhaps?"

"I doubt it." Toshiro slouched. "It was illegal for a Soul Reaper to have any interactions like that with humans, I'm sure it's much stricter for royalty."

"Well," Sofia stood and paced a bit, "I can't say that's not true. But she is a Substitute Soul Reaper now, which means if she ever dies she'll become a full-fledged Soul Reaper."

"Isn't royalty only supposed to marry royalty?" Toshiro asked, remembering the fiasco Byakuya went through when he married a woman from the Rukongai. His family hadn't liked him for that.

"Ha! While marriage with a human wouldn't work due to the major difference in life spans, marrying a Soul Reaper isn't that bad. You being a Soul Prince means your lifespan is even longer; you'll outlive the kids in the Rukongai!"

"Hang on, why am I even considering this?" Toshiro straightened, the conversation finally registering in his mind. "I think I've lost it."

"That does tend to happen." Sofia shrugged.

"Not funny."

"Well, anyway, about helping them get stronger." She waited until he had his full attention on her again. "We can't very well put them through the trials like we did with you, they don't have a locked up storage of it like you did to get past them. But…hm, the Royal Guards may be able to think of something. I'll discuss this with my master, you continue your training."

The white cat was about to change forms when she remembered something.

"By the way, young prince." She saw him raise an eyebrow. "Your father has plans for you to meet the King of Hell, soon."

"Satan?" Toshiro's eyes widened.

"Don't worry, for a demon he's pretty…well…calm, I guess I should say. Anyway, you have to get to know him before you become king so you can make sure to keep in touch with him during your reign."

"Right…"

The cat left him.

"Meeting the King of Hell." He mused aloud. "This should be interesting."

'_**From what you've read he actually respects the Soul King's position of power and treats them as superior rather than himself despite his vast lifespan and power.**_' Hyorinmaru commented.

"Doesn't make him any less intimidating."

'_**You haven't even met him yet.**_'

"Exactly." He stood, strapping the zanpaktou on his back again. "Time to see what I need to learn next."

He glanced down at the translucent brand on his hand. He could make it vanish if he lowered his power enough, but he didn't really see the need to here so he let it glow. The one Kanji symbol on it had a slightly darker shade of icy-blue, but still very light. He hoped to have the others soon.

He left the icy floor and went to his father's, heading to said man's room. Making sure to knock before entering, he stepped inside.

"Something you need, my son?" Satoru asked as he leaned back in the chair by his desk, noticing his son's thoughtful expression.

"I was just wondering what I'm supposed to do now." Toshiro walked over to stand beside his father. "I finished the Five Trials and got one of the symbols, what do I need to do to get the others?"

"Hm, I thought you might ask." Satoru rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Have you read the book?"

"Finished it yesterday."

"Now that's impressive. Tell me, what do YOU think you need to do next?"

Toshiro blinked in surprise, not having expected that.

"Tranquility, a quality needed by all great rulers to watch events go on with a calm touch, to not be swayed over to one side easily unless absolutely necessary. Eternity, a promise that you will continue your role as long as you live and through the cycle of souls, to be forever bound to rule as king, even if you change your ways each time. And Honor, a solemn promise to uphold what in your heart is right, a vow to fight not for yourself but for others, whatever that means to you. Each of these things is vital as a king, and each of these must be found in your own way."

"But how?" Toshiro questioned. "I don't know where to start."

"You face the question all wise kings face at the start of their rise to power." Satoru put a gentle hand on his son's shoulder. "A question I myself once asked. Listen to me, Toshiro, these attributes cannot be found in books or through strict testing curriculums, they're found through experience. Power is the only mark attainable through a set course like the Five Trials. It is the easiest for all kings to grasp. That is why it is the least important attribute."

"But I don't have time for that."

"You are rushed for time, yes…but still, I cannot help you earn these attributes. I suggest thinking on what I said and finding for yourself the right way to earn them."

"I guess…"

"I know you can do it." Satoru smiled gently. "How about you try relaxing a bit? You're too tense, and that leads to rash decisions."

"Right, I must be tranquil."

"Exactly." The king chuckled slightly while Toshiro smirked. "Meet with the other Royal Guard if you can find them. The may be able to offer their assistance, and you do need to get to know them better."

"I think I know Nakryin well enough."

Satoru paused for a moment, hiding his true intention with a smile; he was focusing in on the taint of Fear inside the white haired boy and found it still dug deeply in his heart.

"Not well enough, my son." He saw Toshiro tilt his head in confusion before turning away and returning to his work.

"You…you mean the Fear, don't you?"

"It's grown. Probably from your contact with the Demon Lords. Be careful, Toshiro."

"I will."

* * *

**Admittance! Ha! But he's smart, now we just need Karin to admit it. After that, they need to admit to each other *evil laugh* Anyway, i'm still trying to stick to my word of downplaying the romance, Shiro's a busy prince. So earning the next three marks is going to be tricky, since he has no idea what he's supposed to do for those and his dad can't help, so no trials, just him training and trying to prove himself as king. Enjoy!**


	37. The Magic Demon Strikes

Renji went tumbling across the ground as fire launched him backwards. He shot back to his feet and brushed off the clinging fire on his uniform.

"Jeez, Karin." He grumbled. "Try not to burn my clothes off, okay?"

"In your dreams, monkey boy." Karin rolled her eyes, holding her blade forward.

Another few weeks had passed since Toshiro had left the realms and there had been no sign of the demon girls. Though she would never admit it to anyone, Karin hadn't let herself walk around alone since for fear of them cornering her. Toshiro had warned her about them himself for a reason, and the concerned look he'd had when he pointed out how powerful they were was reason enough to trust that she stood no chance. She'd trained viciously and had managed to find her Shikai, training with Renji and the others when they visited to make it stronger.

Her zanpaktou was a fire-wind type, her name given as Homuratei, and the Shikai form was that of fiery red rapier, the golden hilt curling around her hand in the shape of a dragon. But while her zanpaktou spirit did like making fire into the form of a dragon, she wasn't one. Not that Karin could tell, anyway, she was always covered in flames.

"Anyone hungry!?" Came Kisuke's sing-song voice as he appeared off to the side.

"You bet!" Renji replied. Karin just shrugged and resealed her zanpaktou.

'_I need to get stronger._' Karin mused as she followed the red-head back up to the shop. '_That way he doesn't have to worry about me._'

'_**I'm sure your boyfriend would protect you anyway.**_' Homuratei replied.

'_He's not my boyfriend, for crying out loud._'

'_**You want him to be.**_'

'_Go back to ignoring me._'

'_**I'm right, aren't I?**_'

'_That's none of your business_!'

'_**Oh I'm totally right! My hot-tempered Karin is in love with the Ice Prince!**_'

'_Okay, fine! But he IS a prince, so there's no way we could…it's just not possible, I probably won't even see him ever again._'

'_**Oh, don't give up. It is possible to get into the Soul King's realm…wait for one of those Royal Guards to show up and have them take you.**_'

'_I'm telling you, that won't work. Toshiro is like…ten times stronger than a Captain. I'm probably just dog chow to them._'

'_**Well, time to change that, hm? We train hard, Master, and find our way to the Ice Prince!**_'

'_You're ridiculous._'

Her zanpaktou laughed while Karin herself sat down and accepted food from the shop keeper gratefully. She'd been eating a lot more due to her ever rising Spiritual Pressure, which Renji said would qualify for the rank of Seventh Seat at the moment. Adding her skills in hand-to-hand and zanjutsu, as well as her small amount of Kido ability, he said she'd be able to make Fifth Seat. That wasn't good enough for her. She wanted to be as strong as her brother.

"Hey, I'm gonna take a quick walk." Karin said to the others once she'd finished, walking outside. She turned for the more crowded areas of the town, still not wanting to be caught alone.

"Hmph, that Hitsugaya, leaving her like that." A cat formed Yoruichi tsked.

"Oh, he'll come back for her." Kisuke snickered.

There was a knock on the door and everyone's attention turned towards it.

"Wonder who that is." Yoruichi mused, flicking her black tail.

Renji stood to get the door, sliding it open to reveal a white hooded figure. The woman glanced at him briefly before she stepped inside silently. The others all tensed, on guard, until the woman held out a scroll of paper. Curious, the shop keep carefully took it from her and opened it up to read, his feline friend jumping onto his shoulder to read it with him. Gray eyes widened and he looked up at the figure in alarm.

"You're willing to do such a thing?" He asked.

"He wants you safe." She replied quietly. "In this fight, to be safe is to be strong."

Ruala looked around at those gathered. The Urahara shop gang, Yoruichi, Renji behind her, as well as Ikkaku and Yumichika. A few of the people she remembered seeing before we're not here, and neither was the girl the young prince worried for, the one Sofia had gotten his confession for.

"Where is Karin Kurosaki?"

Said teen had gone to the park, heaving a sigh and sitting on a bench, people passing her by as they came with their children. At least here she should be fine.

"Hey there!" A chirpy voice said and someone sat next to her.

Sighing again, she turned to see who had dared approach her while she was in a bad mood.

Her heart nearly stopped.

"Ooh, you look like you've seen a ghost." Firiat snickered sarcastically. "But don't make a scene here, people might look at you funny."

"Wh-what do you want?" Karin scowled fiercely at her.

"Just to ask a question." The black-haired girl shrugged.

"If it's about Toshiro I'm not saying anything."

The demon girl laughed, startling a family as they passed. So people could see her.

"No, not about that annoying prince. See, we're looking for someone very _special _to him." Karin shuddered as Firiat's tone became a hiss when she emphasized special. "Are you that person?"

"No, now keep looking."

"Aw, bummer. Now I have to kill you."

"What!?" Karin shot to her feet, gripping her sword. Now she realized why people were looking at Firiat strangely, she looked like she was talking to herself.

"If none of you Soul Reapers are the one we're looking for, I get to kill you." Firiat stood slowly, a wicked grin on her face. "This should be fun."

Sapphire eyes caught onto something glinting on Karin's wrist and Firiat grinned wider if that was possible.

"Nice bracelet. Boyfriend give it to you?"

"That's none of your business!" Karin unsheathed her blade and pointed it at Firiat.

The pyro laughed wickedly, her form shifting as she became invisible to the living, those who had been looking at her jumping back in alarm as she vanished from view. They moved away quickly, sensing a dangerous aura within the vicinity.

"Tell me child, do you have any fears?" Flames began to burn over top the scarlet robe she wore.

"Not of you." Karin snarled.

"Let's change that." Tavain lifted a hand and let sparks dance across it; so she had more than just fire at her disposal.

Karin was about to chant the release command for her zanpaktou when the flaming demon was suddenly in front of her, a firm grip around her throat that burned terribly, lightning racing through her body and paralyzing it. The pain was intense but the paralysis prevented her from screaming.

Then it stopped and Firiat pulled back, scowling. The pain had ceased and any burns or residual paralysis vanished from her body, leaving her somewhat out of breath but unharmed.

Karin knew why Toshiro was worried, now.

"So he's protecting you from magic, too." Firiat growled. "Oh well, at least now I know you're the one."

"What the Hell are you talking about?" Karin pulled herself back to her feet. She needed to be prepared this time, couldn't let her guard down in the slightest.

"Our master wants us to find the one person capable of breaking the heart of our young prince." She grinned. "He'll be saving you for when the young prince comes after us, and when he does he'll kill you right in front of him. Then he won't resist his death."

"You…You can't do that to him!" Karin snarled.

"Hey, it's worth a shot." Firiat shrugged. "I know I'll have fun with you while we're waiting!"

Just before Firiat rushed forward again, a flash of white moved between the two.

"Sofia!" Ruala commanded the panther next to her. "Take her there."

"Hey wait, that's my prey!" Firiat hissed, flames spreading higher due to her anger.

The panther sent a hiss at her, baring all fangs, before turning around and latching onto Karin. A bright flash of light and they were both gone. Furious, Firiat turned to Ruala, the guardian's blades at the ready, but knew not to engage. They knew who their target was now, no point in fighting just yet. She vanished into darkness just as Ichigo and Rukia arrived, Renji, Rangiku and Yoruichi not far behind. They had all felt the pull of the bracelet as it warned them she was in danger. Ruala had been much faster, though.

"Where's Karin?" Ichigo demanded, stepping up to the quiet assassin.

"Safe." Ruala replied. "She is where they can't find her."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Wait, Ichigo." Rukia put her hand on his arm to calm him. "I think she means your sister is with Hitsugaya."

"She's…" Ichigo's eyes widened. "She's in the Soul King's Realm?

All eyes focused on Ruala. The guardian nodded once.

"We shall train." She said, and began walking away.

* * *

**And so Karin heads to the Soul King's Realm! This shall be interesting, hehe. Hopefully Firiat's little attack gives some insight into their strength and all that. Actually if Karin can get up to Captain level, which she's improving at a similar rate as her brother so she'll get there, Firiat would be kind of useless against Karin since she's strictly magic...well, no, if I remember right I also gave her really sharp claws that she sometimes puts poison onto. Out of the five girls she was supposed to be the only human but she's completely insane...they all are, that was the whole point of their group. Anyway, even the youngest, Firiat, is a force to be reckoned with so Karin was lucky she had that bracelet. Enjoy!**


	38. Flames in the Ice Realm

"Whoa…where is this?" Karin gazed around at the forest she had suddenly found herself in. The air felt a little heavy so she knew she wasn't in the World of the Living still.

"Here." She heard Sofia's high voice call. The cat tossed something up with her tail and she caught it, realizing it was a pendant of sorts, a simple chain with a black gem. "That will protect you from the intense Spirit Energy in the air here. Ruala has been working on one for just such an occasion as this."

"What occasion?" Karin tilted her head curiously, slipping the pendant around her neck. The air was suddenly much lighter and she could breathe easier.

"You coming to the Soul King's Realm." Sofia grinned and trotted off through the forest.

It took the black haired girl a moment to process this information, her mouth open in shock. She was in the realm of the kings? Better yet, she was in Toshiro's realm. She darted off after the white cat.

"How did we get here, don't you have to use the Tenchuren?" Karin questioned.

"Normally, but one of Ruala's elements is called Gravity, so she can shift space around her to basically teleport. Normally we can only teleport ourselves, but if it's absolutely necessary we can take a person with us. It exhausts us, though, which is why I returned immediately to this form, and I can't turn back for a while."

"What about Ruala?"

"She can handle one Demon Lord and the other Soul Reapers were on their way. Plus, their target was you, so once we took that away she fled. You're safe here, they can't get in."

"So…what do I do now?"

The cat remained silent at first as they came upon a mansion woven from trees, catching Karin's full attention as she wondered how that was possible.

"Myndræl!" Sofia called out, bringing Karin's attention around to a large blue dragon. Her mouth dropped lower.

"Sofia?" The dragon tilted his head curiously. "Where's Lady Ruala?"

"Still busy. I'm going back in a moment. I need a favor from you." She motioned with her head to the gaping Substitute. "You partner would like to meet her."

The dragon looked at the girl while Sofia managed to teleport once more, though the light flickered, and Karin quickly closed her mouth under his gaze. She had no idea what to say to a dragon; Hell, she didn't know dragons could talk. This was one of the strangest things she'd ever done, and she'd done some strange things. Though, her family was strange, so that didn't come as much of a surprise.

"Ever flown before?" The dragon asked.

"Um…in a plane once."

The dragon tilted his head further in curiosity. Right, Living World vehicles and the dead didn't mix well.

"Never mind…"

"Mind the scales." Myndræl chuckled as he stepped over to her and lowered himself down a bit. With the awakening of his powers he had started to grow quickly, now taller than Lilianna. "It'll be a short trip."

"Where are we going?" Karin finally managed to say as she mounted the large blue dragon, the body beneath her feeling rather cold.

"Sofia said my partner would like to meet you." Myndræl spread his wings as he stepped over to the edge of the floating kingdom.

"Who's your partner?"

"Toshiro, of course."

Steel eyes widened and she was about to comment when the dragon took off and her words turned into a startled scream. She stopped quickly as the drake found an air current to carry him up towards the palace in the center, the ride becoming smoother. Her hands were gripped tightly onto the spikes at the base of his neck.

"Sorry." Myndræl called back. "Lift off is always rough for first timers."

"That…That's okay." Karin shook her head to regain her thoughts.

"Toshiro will meet us at the top, I called him."

"How?"

"Oh, we use a flare of our power to call for each other. It's quick so no one gets affected but just long enough we recognize it and head over. Do you happen to know my partner?"

"Yes, I do. Trust me, he'll be surprised to see me here."

"Alright then." Myndræl smiled at her before focusing on the top of the palace, flapping his wings to slow his descent. The body of the blue dragon blocked her from his view, but she could very easily recognize the white haired figure waiting them there, arms crossed. Without the black cloak he looked every bit as royal as his birthright, an ice blue haori over a black Shihakusho and his zanpaktou at his back.

Toshiro watched his dragon companion lower himself to the roof, wondering what it was the dragon wanted. He'd been speaking to Hyorinmaru when the flare had flashed a light into his Inner World, telling him Myndræl wanted something. He noticed the dragon was taking more care to land than he usually did when flying alone, making him wonder…yes, there was someone on the dragon's back. Strange, Myndræl was uncomfortable with other flyers.

"Who's with you?" He asked once the blue dragon was fully grounded, the long neck blocking the figure from view.

"Says she's a friend." Myndræl turned sideways and the figure quickly stumbled off his back.

"Karin!?" Toshiro exclaimed in surprise, eyes widening.

"Uh…hi?" The teen laughed nervously, scratching her head. "Yeah, some weird stuff happened."

"But how did you get here?" Moving over to her the Ice Prince put a hand on both her shoulders. She noticed with some annoyance he'd grown again over the last five weeks, now an inch or two taller than her instead of the other way around. She also noticed her heart rate quicken and quickly made an effort to quiet it.

"Sofia said something about teleporting using the Gravity element."

"I see…Why did she bring you here?"

"Well…" Karin briefly explained what had happened to her at the park, noticing his expression shift to a look of concern. She left out the last part, about how they wanted to kill her to break his heart. No point telling that to a prince with a heart of ice, even if he did look strangely worried about her.

'_At least she's alright._' Toshiro inwardly sighed. '_Dethmaiyn's demons are tricky._'

'_**They saw you with her, they must be trying to use her to get to you.**_' Hyorinmaru rumbled.

'_I thought staying away would shift their attention elsewhere. Though I suppose this explains the dark feeling I'd had earlier, the bracelet works._' He focused back on reality "I suppose if you're here I can answer those questions of yours now, then."

"Oh I've got a lot more." Karin turned to Myndræl. "So dragons are real?"

"Most definitely." Myndræl grinned. "We've been here in the king's realm to stay away from humans after they started hunting us. So Lady Lilianna says."

"She's also a dragon." Toshiro commented.

"I was gonna say that." The blue dragon snorted. His partner just shrugged.

"Myndræl is still a young dragon; he's still developing his powers."

"What kind of powers?" Karin asked.

"I'm like Toshiro, an ice-water dragon."

"He's a dragon?"

"They consider me a dragon because my zanpaktou spirit is one." Toshiro answered, leaning up against the body of his partner.

"She's one too." Myndræl looked down at him and the boy turned to him in surprise. "Can't you sense it?"

There was a pause as Toshiro tried to sense what the drake did and finding himself unable to. He supposed only dragons could sense other dragons. Either that or there was a subtle difference he was missing.

"Karin, what form does your zanpaktou spirit take?" He turned back to the girl before him.

"I don't really know, she's always covered in flames. She's pretty big, though."

"I wonder if Shaderunner would partner with her." Myndræl mused aloud.

"Hush." Toshiro elbowed him. The scales ended up bruising his elbow instead but the dragon got the message, letting out a childish huff. "What's your zanpaktou, Karin?"

"A fire-wind type, her mane is Homuratei." Karin patted the hilt of her blade. "She likes to tease me, though."

'_**A trait all dragons seem to share.**_' Hyorinmaru chuckled.

"Can we go inside by any chance?" Karin asked. "It's kind of chilly up here."

"Sorry." Toshiro lowered his Spiritual Pressure and she blinked as it got warmer. "I've gotten used to letting my Spiritual Pressure out more around Myndræl, he likes the cold."

"Makes sense." Karin shrugged.

Toshiro let the slightest of smiles grace his lips before he gave a quick pat to the blue dragon and headed for the stairs downwards. Karin quickly followed him.

'_He's come to terms with me being here rather quick._' She mused as they walked down the stairs in silence.

'_**Hm, perhaps he's actually frustrated and he's trying to hide it.**_' Homuratei suggested. '_**All kings learn how to hide what they're feeling.**_'

'_Why would he be frustrated?_'

'_**Well, he did leave in a rush last time for the sole purpose of keeping the Demon Lords away but they still came after you. Even though you have that bracelet he gave you to protect you his Royal Guard still saw the need to bring you here to keep you safe, meaning it wasn't enough.**_'

'_Okay, I get it, he's frustrated_.' Karin sighed. Toshiro glanced back at her briefly, confused, but she just shrugged it off and he kept going. '_But he's never really been one to hide his frustration. That's the one thing he ALWAYS shows._'

'_**Then the only other explanation is he's really glad to see you but too shy to say anything about it.**_'

'_Wrong. Try again._'

'_**You figure it out then!**_' Her zanpaktou huffed and went quiet.

The white haired figure ahead of her finally stepped through a door to the beautiful main room of his father's floor. He heard Karin gasp behind him and suppressed the urge to smirk at her, walking calmly through the place.

"Wow, you seriously live here now?" Karin wasn't really following him anymore, turning around slowly to get a good look at everything. He stopped on the small bridge to wait for her.

"Yes." He replied. "It's taken me a while to get used to it."

"I'll bet…" She caught up to him but her back was turned as she kept walking. A hand settled on her back and she turned around to see him looking at her with amusement, his hand out to stop her from bumping into him. She blushed slightly and moved away from him so they weren't touching. A flicker of disappointment passed in his eyes but she didn't see it. "Er…so, you're going to answer all my questions now, right?"

"If I can." He turned his gaze to the outside easily seen through the open balcony. They caught a glimpse of blue as Myndræl flew back towards Dragon Isle. "But first, there's something I need to do."

"What's that?" The Substitute questioned, on the move again as the young prince led her past the carpeted greenhouse and into a long hallway with many doors.

"I met recently with the King of Hell and there was something I needed to look into that he told me about."

"You met the King of Hell?" Came her shocked exclamation.

"I did. He's not at all what you'd except of him, he was very courteous." He finally found the door he was looking for. "I love this room."

She was about to ask why when he opened the door and stepped inside. It was a library, an enormous library. No wonder it was his favorite, geniuses always loved libraries.

"So uh…what did he tell you that you had to find?"

"When I mentioned having a dragon partner and a dragon zanpaktou, he seemed surprised and said he had once read a story of those like me, with two dragons. He said it was somewhere here and that if I read it I might be able to figure out why it happened this way." Toshiro scanned the various books, Karin following and listening to every word.

"So it's not normal to have two dragons?"

The white haired boy shook his head.

"Every king has had a dragon, whether it be as a zanpaktou or a dragon partner, but never both. Satan mentioned the story saying how if a king ever came to the throne with two dragons, something…well, something unexplainable happens."

"Real specific, isn't he?" Karin rolled her eyes as she spoke sarcastically.

Toshiro sent a small smirk her way before returning his gaze to the shelves.

"Spirits get that way when they've lived for many centuries; they start to sound cryptic."

She nodded and went quiet while he continued to look through the vast shelves. With how many books were in the room she thought she could safely assume it would take him a while to find the book he wanted. So, she settled down to wait.

Hearing her sigh as she sat, Toshiro turned to her. She was panning her gaze around the room, looking away from him. Frowning, the young prince thought maybe the book could wait until later. She didn't really have anywhere to go and surely an active girl such as herself couldn't stand to be locked up in a library too long. But what was he supposed to do? The reason he'd been talking to Hyorinmaru earlier was to try and figure out what Satan had meant about him being special, what everyone meant about him being special. He'd finally decided to look for the book himself when Myndræl had called for him.

"Karin." He called to her. She looked back at him. "Would you like to meet the other dragons?"

She grinned.

"Sure."

* * *

**Ooh, so close. Perhaps with the dragons... Anyway, Karin gets to meet the dragons now! This'll be interesting ^^ School's starting soon, I may not post as frequently T^T So Enjoy!**


	39. Dragons of Fire and Healing

"We have to fly again?" Karin glanced warily at the blue dragon. "No offense, Myndræl."

"The only way to Dragon Isle is by dragon back." Toshiro replied, Myndræl shrugging at her last comment.

"Well, okay."

"It'll be a little cold." He warned as he mounted, ice suddenly spreading across the dragon's body under him. "I do this to protect me from the scales, Myndræl doesn't like saddles."

"And he likes being frozen?" Karin quirked an eyebrow, taking his offered hand as he assisted her up to sit behind him. It was indeed cold.

"He's an ice dragon, he likes it."

To confirm, Myndræl purred and she laughed as she felt it through her body.

"It's a quick flight, you won't be cold long. Hold on tight, though."

She obliged, putting her arms around him as Myndræl spread his wings. The young prince tensed a bit as his heart raced but he quickly calmed it back down. This was not the time to be embarrassed.

'_**You like her and she's holding onto you, of course this will happen.**_' Hyorinmaru snorted.

'_Damn hormones…_' He shook it from his mind as his partner took off, Karin's grip tightening, and they headed for the floating island.

"Only a few of them are friendly." He told Karin, looking over his shoulder at her. "About five or so are pets of sorts to the Greenleaf Family, the rest don't really bother with others and they tend to act superior."

"They sound lovely." Came her sarcastic remark. He rolled his eyes and looked ahead again.

True to his word, the flight was quick as Myndræl landed in the clearing, some of the other dragons moving to the edge as they spotted the two riders. Lilianna was there to greet them, playing with Shimmer once more, and the diamond beauty he'd learned was called Dimara nodded her head to them in greeting before returning to her watch. She was the biggest dragon there, but there was apparently a bigger one that he hadn't met yet, a female whose daughter resided on the island.

Toshiro heard Karin gasp in wonder behind him and smirked slightly. Yes, the dragons were impressive. He helped her off and Myndræl walked away to speak to his drake friends, Shadow and Shaderunner. They were the closest in age to each other.

"The dragonling returns." Lilianna smiled. She turned away slightly as Shimmer clambered onto the violet dragon's back, tiny clear wings flapping madly to balance herself out. The older dragon pushed her all the way up with her snout and Karin giggled, finding the situation adorable. "Ah, and you've brought one with you…though, hers isn't quite a dragon."

"Eh?" Karin looked confused now.

"The spirit within you." Lilianna lowered her head and Toshiro pushed the girl forward. She turned to look at him nervous, and he just smiled slightly and motioned her onward. "A dragon yet not a dragon. Perhaps a basilisk or wyvern, I'm not positive which."

"Aren't wyverns a kind of dragon?" Karin questioned.

"Of a sort. Wyverns tend to be…how should I put it? Hm…" The violet dragon debated internally while Shimmer attempted to climb up her neck, gripping onto the silky mane with tiny paws. "Ah, more instinctual. See, dragons have more wisdom than most creatures, allowing them to branch off into other elements such as the ice dragon Myndræl. Wyverns retain our old forms and instincts and reserve their powers strictly for fire. Still a powerful breed just not as, diverse or…experienced."

Karin could tell the violet dragon was trying to be polite about the explanation but couldn't help feeling slightly insulted. Before she could reply, the white dragon slipped off of Lilianna's neck and she moved quickly to catch her.

"Careful there, you'll get hurt." Karin smiled at the baby which gave a feline-like purr and smiled back at her. "Probably shouldn't climb so high until those wings of yours work, eh?"

Shimmer giggled and nodded to her, flapping her tiny wings to show she understood what the human meant.

"Despite the differences in your powers, Shimmer seems to have taken a liking to you." Lilianna grinned as she watched the crystal dragonling crawl onto Karin's shoulder and curl around her neck like a scaly scarf.

"What kind of dragon is she?" Toshiro asked. He'd never thought to ask before, as Shimmer was still young and probably didn't have powers.

"Little Shimmer hasn't quite proved her talents yet, but I have recognized a subtle light within her matching that of a healing dragon's."

"Then she'd probably like my twin better." Karin smirked. "I cause the injuries, Yuzu fixes them."

The violet dragon chuckled at that before moving her head closer to Karin. Shimmer obeyed the silent command and climbed on before being moved to rest within Lilianna's wings.

"You're good with dragonlings, young one." The violet dragon turned back to Karin. "What is your name?"

"Karin Kurosaki."

"Lady Karin, would it be any trouble to watch over Shimmer? The other dragonesses and I take turns but there are hardly any of us that stay here long enough, we keep ourselves spread out across the lands. This is the place dragons go to have full protection from others and to raise their young."

"What happened to Shimmer's mother?" Karin frowned.

"She was killed by another dragon when she went out to help her mate. Dragons are by no means peaceful, that's why this sanctuary was made. There are no fights within these walls; Lady Ruala's magic makes sure of such."

Karin cast a sympathetic glance to the shimmering white dragon looking up at her with eyes of light green like a new leaf.

"I don't know…I have no idea how to babysit a dragon."

"How long are you to stay in this realm?" Lilianna instead questioned.

"Um…I don't know." The black haired girl turned to Toshiro. The young prince shrugged; he didn't know either. He hadn't been expecting her in the first place. "I should get back to everyone; they'll be worrying about me."

Lilianna did not miss the hint of sadness that passed Toshiro's expression as she said this.

"Can your sister see spirits?" The violet dragon asked.

"Yeah, she could see them starting a few months ago." Karin quirked an eyebrow before realizing what the dragoness was getting at. "Oh no, I can't take a baby dragon home with me. Even if only certain people could see her, it would be hard to hide her since we'd have to keep a constant eye on her."

"Shimmer can be surprisingly quiet when the situation calls for it." Lilianna grinned, reaching down to gently nuzzle said dragonling. "I believe she senses your sister through you and wishes to meet her."

"But my sister doesn't have any powers to speak of; she's the most normal out of all of us. She can't have a dragon partner."

"You'd be surprised about the kind of partner dragons pick, Lady Karin. Healing dragons actually prefer those with little power and a kind heart."

Toshiro stepped past Karin and knelt down next to Shimmer. The crystal dragon purred happily at him and accepted his hand as he petted her.

"Perhaps if a dragon were to help you." Lilianna suggested to Karin, motioning at the Ice Prince before her.

"Lilianna, I can't return to the World of the Living." Toshiro frowned up at her. "Not yet."

"Oh you're both so stubborn." The violet dragon snorted and the people she spoke of shared a confused glance. Dragons; so cryptic. Then, Lilianna picked up the tiny dragon and once more placed her in Karin's arms. "As long as you're here you can take care of her. She's ready to fall asleep at the moment so you don't have to do much yet, and Myndræl can assist you if you need it."

"Um…okay."

The violet dragon was about to say her farewells, Myndræl already heading back over as Toshiro called him, when another dragon landed beside her. It was a dragoness, a little younger than Myndræl, and fiery crimson with golden swirls along her backside, crimson wings hiding some of the swirls, and black spines down her back. Her underbelly was darker red and she was better muscled than Myndræl, the ice-water dragon built for speed and maneuverability. Amber eyes locked onto Karin and the dragon grinned, lifting her head high. She was the same size Myndræl had been when he'd approached Toshiro.

"Well, Dyrilæn." Lilianna quirked an eyebrow at the crimson dragoness. "Is there something you need?"

"Yes." Dyrilæn replied. "Her."

Karin blinked in surprise and Toshiro tensed. This fire dragon wasn't the friendliest with humans. Myndræl sensed his partner's worry and stepped forward threateningly. The fire dragon frowned at him, realizing that this dragon was partner to the Soul Prince and therefore superior.

"I believe she wants to partner with your friend, dragonling." Lilianna said to Toshiro.

The fire drake nodded.

"Her spirit is wilder than most humans." Dyrilæn bowed to Karin, just as Myndræl had bowed to Toshiro. "Shall we partner up?"

"The dragons like you as much as they like me." Toshiro relaxed once the drake's motives were known and smirked at her.

"There is a dragon for every strong spirit." Lilianna replied mysteriously. "We may not be around at the same time, nor are we always in physical form, such as Hyorinmaru, but we are always watching our partners. It is rare for a dragon to find the one their soul connects with."

"Guess we're one of the lucky ones." Karin said to the crimson dragon. She grinned and bent her head down so her new partner could pet her. "Great, now I have two dragons to look after."

"You have no idea." Toshiro shook his head in mock disappointment, looking amused, before moving to sit atop his dragon and freezing over the scales.

"Okay Shimmer, hold on tight." Karin had the white dragon crawl back onto her shoulder again before mounting Dyrilæn, not sure what she could do to protect against the scales like Toshiro did with the ice. "Back to your place, then?" She said to the young prince.

"Is there somewhere else you want to go?" He replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Not particularly." She shrugged.

"Then yes, we're going back to 'my place'."

Karin noticed a subtle shift in his posture and Myndræl lifted off quickly. She attempted to copy the posture, one hand up to keep hold of Shimmer, and Dyrilæn took off as well. She was sure there were certain movements she could do to tell her dragon where to fly without speaking as Toshiro seemed so expert at, but for now she just clung on tightly while the crimson drake followed the blue one back to the palace.

Down below, Lilianna watched the two figures retreat.

"Interesting choice of a mate you have, Dragon King." She whispered to herself. "Ice Prince and Fire Princess…it will be interesting to see how their dragons go through with this match up. Myndræl and Dyrilæn were always rather distant with one another."

She moved over to the edge and laid down to sleep, something she hadn't been able to do in a while with Shimmer in her care. She hadn't the heart to tell Karin that she was the only dragoness taking care of Shimmer, as no other dragon felt they had time for the baby, not even the ever watchful Dimara, too busy keeping watch over the island to babysit.

The two dragons alighted upon the top of the palace and their riders dismounted. Karin stumbled a bit until strong arms righted her balance. She forced her blush down and looked up into Toshiro's eyes, noticing with some annoyance that he seemed amused by this. Shimmer purred at him and reached her head out, grabbing his attention as he petted the small crystal dragon.

They didn't go inside straight away, the young prince telling his companion that she should get to know her new partner. As she and Dyrilæn did just that, Toshiro watched over the drowsy Shimmer, setting her in his lap while Myndræl hummed a soft tune that soon had the tiny dragon fast asleep.

"I think Yuzu would like her." Karin commented and he looked up at her. "Shimmer, I mean."

"I have no doubt." He was running his hand down the dragon's back as she purred in her sleep. "It's hard not to like this one."

"You've already got a partner, Ice Prince." The crimson dragon snorted in amusement. He cast a glare at her and she ducked her head a bit. His ice was definitely stronger than her fire.

"When Nakryin gets back from training the others I'll see to getting you home, Karin." Toshiro instead turned back to Karin.

"Training?" Karin questioned.

"When I told everyone what was going on I knew they wouldn't listen to me when I told them to stay out of it." He smirked slightly. "So if they're going to butt in, I might as well offer them a fighting chance. You were supposed to be with them now, not here with the dragons, but fate seems to be against you."

"I wouldn't say that, I did get a new friend." Karin patted Dyrilæn with a big grin and the dragon returned the smile. "What if I trained here with you?"

The words were out of her mouth before she knew it and she wished she could take them back, especially when he frowned, expression serious.

"That won't be possible, unfortunately." He sighed. She was curious about the 'unfortunately' he'd added on to the end. "That pendant protects you from the intense Spirit Energy of this realm; training under it would be a bad idea. I don't intend on anyone coming here until they've reached Captain level power at least, though I suppose your brother would be among the first able to do so."

Karin snorted at that; her brother was a big powerhouse, of course he could survive here.

"Anyway, you can stay the night here for now. The Demon Lords might still be out looking, no sense sending you right back into their midst."

"Thanks." She grinned at him, a small one that truly showed her gratefulness. Toshiro quickly looked back down at Shimmer in his lap, not trusting his heart to remain steady.

'_**Confess.**_' The zanpaktous of both Reapers demanded.

'_Shut up._' Their masters both replied back, showing no outward sign of that conversation.

Karin followed Toshiro inside as he carried Shimmer. He led her to a spare room on his father's floor and handed the sleeping dragon over, telling her that Lilianna had entrusted the dragonling to her, not him, before he left. He did so reluctantly, lingering a bit at her door, but Karin assumed he was worried for the dragonling. She tucked the creature into the covers before sitting in the bed herself, wondering what she was supposed to do now.

* * *

**Because I love ya'll and school is starting soon, I'm gonna double update again! ^^ Catch up a little to my actual spot in the story, i'm way ahead.**

**So Karin gets a dragon, and it looks like Yuzu will too, and these damned confessions will not come! (Oh they'll get there ;D ) I suppose I should be introducing demons soon, the two Solar Five girls haven't been doing anything recently. Meh, we'll get there. Enjoy!**


	40. Home is Where You're Needed

Once more they stood atop the palace roof, Karin holding onto a fidgety Shimmer and Dyrilæn sulking beside her.

"Can't I go with her?" The crimson dragon pouted in Ruala's direction. The guardian frowned but shook her head.

"Hey, I'll be back." Karin used her free arm to hug the dragon's muzzle. "Once I'm strong enough I'll be right back, promise."

She turned to the other being standing up there with them. Toshiro had his normal passive expression, though his mouth did hold a slight frown. Though she knew she'd probably start something, Karin raced over and hugged him tight with her one free arm, Shimmer chirping in confusion at the gesture. The girl felt Toshiro tense up beneath her for a moment before he settled down and returned her embrace.

"Thanks for showing me the dragons." She smirked up at him before stepping away and towards Ruala. "Are you sure I can take Shimmer with me?"

"Shimmer is still small." Ruala replied quietly, much quieter than when she spoke to Toshiro. Said prince had warned Karin that she would be. "She can hide easily. Dyrilæn can't."

The crimson dragon snorted and Myndræl stepped over to offer some comfort.

Taking a deep breath, Karin nodded to show she was ready and Ruala offered her hand. The girl took it and then they were gone in a flash. The two dragons watched as Toshiro quickly went back inside.

"He's upset." Myndræl lowered his head.

"I don't blame him." Dyrilæn laid down on the rocky roof and gave an upset huff.

"But he likes her, I can feel it." The blue dragon turned to her.

"I haven't bonded with her enough to know if she feels the same, but by that goodbye she gave him I have a hunch she does."

"Oh, if only there was something we could do. I don't like to see him upset."

The dragoness nodded in agreement.

Sofia, having remained behind, listened to this conversation in interest before slinking inside to find the white haired prince.

She found him in his room at his desk, the once clear space now home to several books and paper stacks of his research, things he wanted to know how to do while he searched for the path to his next mark. His prodigy mind was really helping him to learn what he needed to quickly.

But he wasn't working now. He had his head rested on his arms, which lay upon the table. Sensing the cat's presence, he let out a heavy sigh.

"Is this what it feels like to let go of the person you care about?"

She leaped onto the desk.

"I wouldn't know." The feline said, laying her body up against his arm as comfort. "But I can tell you love her very much. I'm sure it hurts to let someone like that leave."

He grunted in response.

"I have a feeling you'll see her again, though. After all, she is training to help you in this fight; you'll be seeing her along with the others when the time comes."

His arm shifted as he held up his hand, the black gem pendant resting within it. Just before she'd left she'd given it back to him, telling him she wouldn't need it next time. Sighing, he set the pendant aside and stood, distracting himself from Karin by heading out to look for the book Satan had mentioned to him all those days ago. Sofia watched him go with interest. He was showing definite signs of one of the attributes; Tranquility. Despite his attachment to her he knew his place was here and hers was there, and so remained neutral. If he kept this up he'd have two marks in no time, bringing him ever closer to the rank of king. She leaped off the table and followed him to the library.

In the World of the Living, Ruala left Karin in front of her home before quickly returning to the Soul King's Realm. Nervous dragonling in tow, Karin stepped into the door of her home and looked for any signs of life. She spotted Yuzu in the kitchen, pacing, and Ichigo in the chair trying to calm her down. As the honey-blonde turned to start the other way, she spotted Karin at the door and her eyes lit up.

"Karin!" She shouted happily, darting over while Ichigo stood in his seat behind her. "Eek!"

Having spotted the dragon, Yuzu paused in her run and stared wondrously at the shimmering creature. Ichigo let his jaw drop, dumbstruck by the presence of the dragon. Footsteps were heard as Rukia came from downstairs before she, too, stopped.

"Yeah, I made some new friends in Toshiro's home." Karin laughed nervously. "She's a dragon alright, but she's just a baby, and she's like a spirit so normal people can't see her."

Shimmer hummed nervously and climbed back around Karin's neck, burying her head in Karin's Soul Reaper uniform.

"Hey, come on Shimmer." Karin tried to coax her out. The others had approached now, still awestruck. "Hey Yuzu, come here. I think you'll like her."

"Oh, um, okay." Cautiously, the timid twin came forward, reaching a hand out to the dragon. "Hey there, little one."

Shimmer peeked her head out curiously at the soft voice.

"It's okay." Yuzu put on her trademark smile and Shimmer's tiny ears perked up, green eyes wide. "Awe, how cute."

"One of the other dragons says she's going to be a healer dragon when she gets bigger." Karin got the dragon off her shoulders and stepped closer to Yuzu. "She says dragons like Shimmer prefer partners like you."

"Me?" Yuzu looked startled by this. She reached a hand out to Shimmer and the dragon flapped her wings happily, purring as she put her head up to the gentle hand. Yuzu giggled. "But, I don't know how to take care of a dragon."

"I got a few tips from the other dragons, I'll help you out." Karin smiled and let the white dragon crawl out of her arms and into Yuzu's.

"Careful, Yuzu." Ichigo warned.

"Oh, she won't hurt anybody." Yuzu laughed as the dragon licked her face, tail wagging like a dog. "Look how cute she is! It's almost like having a scaly puppy, Ichi!"

"Yeah, Ichigo, a big scaly puppy." Rukia smirked at her boyfriend.

"Well…" He floundered for something to say. "I guess if normal people can't see her, and Karin knows how to take care of her…I don't see a problem with it. She is just a baby." He scratched his head nervously.

Yuzu squealed in delight, Shimmer matching her tone with an excited squeak, and hugged her taller brother before racing to the living room and setting her new pet down to play with.

"Well, this will be interesting to explain to your dad." Rukia chuckled. "And Karin, you need to tell us what all happened. How is Hitsugaya?"

"He's fine." She shrugged, hiding the lump that appeared in her throat at the mention of him. She refused to admit how much her heart had raced when he'd returned her hug. "He's still in training and all that, but he told me how Ruala came here to help train everyone."

Ichigo groaned and she blinked, confused.

"That woman is way too hard to understand. When she speaks it's in riddles, and I think Yoruichi found someone faster than her."

Interested, Karin had them all sit down in the kitchen, Yuzu staying in the living room with her new friend, and they explained everything.

Turning back to the Soul King's Realm, Toshiro sighed in slight frustration as he returned yet another book to the shelf he'd taken it from, the contents not what he was looking for.

"Did you find it?" He called upwards.

A bird came to hover above him. Sofia shook her head sadly.

"Are you sure it would be here?"

She flew further down and returned to cat form, alighting on his shoulder.

"The King of Hell seemed to think so." She replied. "But this library contains books dating back to when books were first written, protected from aging by the unique power of the room. There are thousands of books here, young prince."

"How are they organized?" He turned from the white cat back to the shelves. "Date put here? Alphabetical?"

"Probably the former, as it would be too much of a hassle to keep moving books around to stay alphabetical. The books closest to the doors are the newer ones."

"Alright, so now the question is when was the book I'm looking for put here?"

To that the cat could not answer, not having been around quite THAT long. She told him this and an idea seemed to form in his head.

"Do you remember what books were placed here during your time here?" He questioned. She lifted a paw and titled it side to side, meaning 'sort of'. "When did you first come here? If the book is that old I'll at least know which area I don't have to look through."

"My master and I started actually working in the palace about six hundred and thirty-five years ago when your mother married your father. Your mother liked to take my master around with her to help her get used to people. I don't remember any book on people with two dragons being put here while we were here, because I'm sure my master would have noticed it."

"That saves me a lot of trouble." Toshiro moved further back and once more continued his search, the search lessened somewhat with over seven hundred books of the three to four thousand there out of the equation. He still had a long way to go, though.

"I have a question, young prince." Sofia scanned a shelf out of his reach as she said this.

He looked up at her for a brief moment before returning to his search.

"What is it?"

"If your friends truly can't power up enough to fight off the demons, will you still let them try?"

Toshiro paused in his search, closing his eyes as he thought about it. The white cat waited eagerly for an answer, as this question could help further him along to his next mark if he answered right.

"I know them all well enough that no matter what I say, they'll try to help anyway." He smirked a bit as he thought about Ichigo's habit of jumping in first, asking questions later. "I suppose I could always force them to sit it out, but then I would just be making it easier for Dethmaiyn to hurt them. The least I can do is give them a fighting chance, as all warriors should have."

"Wise words." Sofia smiled. "Your friends are lucky to have you."

"Of course, if they are idiotic enough to go in without a plan, I suppose I'll have to step in and help." He smirked up at the cat and she laughed.

Satisfied, Sofia returned to searching the top shelves while Toshiro scanned the bottom ones. Ruala joined them later to assist, just as interested in the story as Toshiro was. They searched until night fell, remembering where they'd stopped and retiring for the night. As Toshiro lay in bed he wondered what he could do to aid his friends in gaining power.

* * *

**Well...they hugged. Close enough. And Shiro got depressed about it, so he's fully accepted his feelings, just doesn't want to say anything about it. Well, Yuzu got a dragonling and Shiro's on his way to finding the secret behind why he's special. Enjoy!**


	41. Mysteries

"Oh, where did he go?" A girl with short red hair and brown eyes huffed as she searched various rooms for the elusive Soul Prince. "Where'd he go, where'd he go?"

"You're not going to find him like that." Her companion sighed, black hair a bit messy and dark blue eyes holding an annoyed expression towards the girl.

The male wore silver European armor to represent himself as the one in charge of keeping an eye on the several branches of Soul Society in that region, half of them anyway. The area was too big for one person, so there was another leader for the Northern countries within the European area. The girl was the overseer of the Oceanic area. They each had a mark on their shoulder that revealed their line of royalty in one of the Royal Families.

"You're not helping." The red-head snapped in her Australian accent, crossing her arms.

"There are very few places he could be; surely you noticed what those places were." The male rolled his eyes. "It's part of our job to know the likely places he will be in before we start searching every crevice for him."

"Alright Mr. Stalker, where are these places of his?"

"He's been in the library a lot recently. If not there he's in his room reading. Sometimes he flies to Dragon Isle with Lord Myndræl."

"How are we supposed to get to him on Dragon Isle?" The girl groaned.

"Let's just check the library."

"Wait up!" Another voice shouted.

The two nobles paused as another silver armored figure joined them, this one dressed as the North American overseer in normal military combat attire for the U.S. army. She had short cropped brown hair and blue eyes and she was quick to regain her breath.

"Hey Ryder, how are you?" The red-haired girl smiled at her.

"Just fine, Alicia. Come on, we have a prince to find."

"I'm guessing that's me."

The girls froze up a bit and whipped around while the male just turned, spotting their target for search behind them in the halls, obviously on his way to the library. Toshiro looked over the three of them. Ryder Evereed in command of business with the North American branches and heiress to the Evereed family. Alicia Verion in command of the Oceanic branches and youngest child of the Verion family. And finally, Kavain Nakash, the only son and middle child of the Nakash family and in command of the southern European branches. What were they all doing together looking for him?

"There you are." Alicia let out a heavy sigh of relief while the young prince just quirked an eyebrow. "Sorry for bothering you, my lord, but we wanted to make sure you knew about the meeting tomorrow."

"Meeting?"

"Every year the different commanders meet with the Soul King to discuss what's happening around the world." Kavain explained. "I would think you'd want to be there to at least see what goes on."

"I would actually." The Ice Prince nodded. "Thank you. But…why did all three of you need to come tell me this?"

"She followed me." Kavain pointed to Alicia. She scowled.

"And when these two try to do something together it ends badly." Ryder added on. "So I came to make sure a fight didn't start."

They expected the boy to find that annoying, knowing his reputation as the Ice Prince, but instead they saw him sigh lightly and smirk, even if it was a tiny one it still surprised them. They thought they heard him mutter something like 'just like Abarai and Kurosaki, always need Kuchiki to step in' but weren't very sure, and so said nothing.

"Alright then, if you'll excuse me." He walked past, the three figures saluting him in their own way – Ryder a military salute with her hand to her head, Alicia pretending to tip a hat, and Kavain putting a hand over his chest and bowing – before leaving him be and walking away.

Setting a mental reminder to ask his father about the meeting before night fell, Toshiro once more searched the many shelves for what he wanted. He'd been looking for three days now, trying to find something to do while Ruala went off to train Karin and the others.

He was also training, but in his own way. When he wanted to practice his combat he'd go to the floor of the last icy Soul King. Each floor had barriers around it that prevented any damage from leaking into other floors, since Ruala's magic had them all interconnected, so he could release as much power as he wanted without worry. He'd also think of ways to earn his next mark.

A book caught his eye. He thought maybe it was just another disappointment, as several other books had caught his eye, but he went for it anyway. It seemed normal, dark blue in color with a silver dragon on the binding. There were several other books with dragons on the binding, but they'd never been what he wanted. Perhaps this was his lucky day.

As he took it from the shelf he saw that the cover had two dragons curling around one another, one a bright gold and the other soft silver. His hopes began to rise. There was no title, just the dragons, so he opened it up and scanned some of the text on several pages, not really taking anything in, just trying to see if this was what he wanted.

It was.

Allowing a small smile to pass, he tucked the book under his arm and left to the rooftops to call Myndræl. Since he was part of this whole reason for needing the book it only made sense that he should be allowed in on the information.

The two met on the roof and Myndræl was quick to notice the book in his partner's grip. He'd brought Dyrilæn with him but Toshiro didn't mind, as Karin also seemed to have two dragons, though her zanpaktou spirit wasn't quite a dragon apparently, just related.

"You found it?" The blue dragon laid down next to Toshiro, eager to hear what was in it.

"Seems so." Toshiro nodded. "I just scanned it but it did have something about a prince with two dragons."

"Sounds promising." Dyrilæn also situated herself atop the stone to be comfortable.

"When I find something interesting I'll read it out loud." Toshiro started reading, eyes darting across the words and taking it in quickly.

"Okay."

The dragons sat in comfortable silence for a while as their white haired companion read on. Myndræl had a light nap, able to wake at any moment if his partner found something, but Dyrilæn was fidgety. She tried to wait patiently but she just couldn't hold still for very long. Something was nagging at the back of her head, telling her to get up and move.

Toshiro had just read something interesting, but when he looked up at the dragons he noticed the crimson drake's unrest.

"What's wrong?" He questioned. Myndræl opened his eyes.

"I feel like something is wrong." Dyrilæn muttered. "Really wrong."

The ice dragons shared a glance before Toshiro stood and approached the fidgeting dragon.

"Try to focus, Dyrilæn. Where is the feeling coming from?"

Closing amber eyes, the fire dragon attempted to pinpoint the source of her worries. It wasn't anything to do with her surroundings. In the presence of the Dragon King she felt completely safe. No, it was something far away yet very close to her.

"Karin!" Dyrilæn leaped to her feet. "Karin's in danger! I have to help her!"

"Calm down." Toshiro snapped and the fire dragon obliged, not really having a choice. "Can you see where she is? What's happening?"

"I'm not that closely bonded yet, I just know she's in danger." The dragon gave a snarl and Toshiro backed away as the air around her heated up. "I'll tear apart whoever has her!"

"She's still in the World of the Living, you can't go there." Toshiro explained, thinking how he could get there quickly. "Myndræl, is Nakryin still here?"

"I didn't see her." The blue dragon frowned.

"Damn." Toshiro scowled, vanishing back inside.

"Why won't he let me go?" The fire drake turned and growled at Myndræl. The ice dragon growled back and she took a step away.

"Because a dragon doesn't belong in the Human World."

"Shimmer went!"

"She's a baby, she's easy to hide. We're too big and too powerful to hide."

"I'm going whether he lets me or not!"

"Dyrilæn!" The ice drake called out in vain as said dragon lifted off the top of the palace and dove towards the Tenchuren. With Ruala gone that was the only way to get to Karin.

Inside, Toshiro knew where to find exactly who he was looking for. As strict as she was, Senjumaru would take him to the World of the Living. He was strong enough now to fight off some of the stronger demon forces and the woman was capable of creating her own spatial freeze, something he'd learned not long ago, which would allow him to fight the way he needed to. If she didn't let him go he could at least have her go and see if anything was truly wrong.

"Shutara." He called out as he stepped into the sewing room. Sure enough the black haired woman was there, looking up at him as he called out. "I need your help with something."

At his tone the woman frowned, moving away from her work and listening intently as he explained what Dyrilæn had sensed.

"You wish to go back so soon?" She questioned.

"It may just be a paranoid dragon, but I want to make sure." Toshiro replied. "If there's any chance at finding a way to Dethmaiyn I'll take it…and I'm not going to let Karin get hurt."

"Of course." Senjumaru smiled softly and together the two of them headed downward and out towards the Tenchuren. Where Ruala was, they didn't know, but if Karin was in danger she wasn't in the World of the Living.

As they reached the tall pillar, Dyrilæn joined them, looking very adamant about going.

"Dyrilæn." Toshiro warned.

"She's my partner." The fire drake bit back. "I want to help her. Myndræl would do the same for you."

He sighed.

"Luckily you're still small enough to fit inside." He said and stepped inside.

The dragon was quick to take her chance at saving her partner and squeezed her way inside. Time to see if her paranoia had any weight to it.

* * *

**Ooh, cliffhanger. Wonder what's wrong with Karin, and what did Shiro find interesting in the book? So many questions and I haven't given you answers XD Enjoy!**


	42. Fear's First Strike

Karin groaned, opening her eyes to darkness and something tied tightly around her torso and arms. This snapped her awake and she tried to find even the slightest of lights to see by. As she did this, she tried to remember what had happened to put her in this situation. It all came back in a blur of vision.

She'd just finished training with Momo and Rangiku, the two girls helping her out with basic Soul Reaper combat with Momo helping her to control the fire of her zanpaktou. As she'd been walking home, two figures in dark red had approached her. Recognizing the color of the cloaks she'd separated from her body and was prepared to fight, only to find it wasn't one of the Demon Lords who'd approached her before. They were both men.

"_What do you want?" Karin demanded as the two men cut off any escape, the one with a mix of blonde and brown hair giving her a creepy grin, malicious intent in his blue eyes, while the dark haired one looked on with a bored orange stare._

"_I would think that would be obvious." The dark haired one replied. "But, I shall humor you. I am Garland Haruo. My partner behind you is Sarcum Forisk. We're here to capture you, the key to the Soul Prince's heart."_

"_Why does everyone think I'm so important to him!?" Karin scowled. "We're just friends, dammit!"_

"_That remains to be seen. If you're really not that important to him, I'm sure he won't mind if we kill you."_

"_Of course he'll mind, we're friends! Friends have each other's backs!"_

'**Be careful, Master. These are more of the demon people, we're not ready to fight them.**_' Homuratei warned._

'I know, I'll be careful._' Karin unsheathed her zanpaktou. "Don't think I'm going to come quietly."_

"_I love the feisty ones." Sarcum snickered, holding his hand out and bringing a weapon to it from the darkness. It was a set of claws, wrapped around his hand, the blades razor sharp steel with black markings. "Come, little girl, let's play."_

"_You asked for it." Karin growled at him. "Rage through the Land, Homuratei!"_

_She lifted her rapier and swung it back at the creepy one, a wave of flame following her slash. Her father had taught her how to do that, it helped distract her opponent as they attempted to find a way through the flame. She turned to the other man, Garland. He held a curved dagger in one hand and a scimitar in the other, both with jagged edges for tearing and made of dark steel._

_Garland blocked her strikes with relative ease, but she expected this. They were strong, very strong. Now wasn't the time for chivalry, so she made to trick him, striking at his head with her blade while kicking his feet out from under him. He grunted as he fell but was quick to recover, moving away and maintaining a defensive posture._

_She went for another strike when something raked down her back and she cried out in pain. Her fire had gone out too fast, she was supposed to still have time. Ignoring the scars, she whipped around and struck back at Sarcum, at least managing to graze him across the chest, his eyes widening in surprise, before Garland knocked her out in her weakened state._

Well, she was glad she was at least able to scar them a bit. That was some sign of hope, that maybe they weren't that strong, that the only reason she'd lost was because there were two of them. She could have won.

Now, however, she was stuck in the darkness in some kind of bindings with no idea where her captors were. She let out a grunt of frustration and attempted to shimmy out of her bindings.

The lights flashed on and she shut her eyes tight, waiting until her eyes adjusted before slowly opening them again. She had to blink a few times before everything became clear and she could see Sarcum far too close to her for comfort. On reflex she kicked out at him.

"Whoa!" He laughed as he moved out of her kick range. "Even in binds you're a feisty one."

"Fuck off."

Sarcum roared with laughter, seeming to find her rage funny.

"Enough, Sar." Garland snapped as he stepped over. "Allow me."

"Oh, you're no fun." Sarcum pouted but back away.

'_That man is so gay._' Karin thought as she watched the blonde-brunette walk away, a somewhat feminine movement visible as he walked. '_He's creepy as Hell._'

'_**Well, at least this gay man isn't.**_' Homuratei said, meaning Garland.

'_He's not as obvious about it, that's for sure._'

Her trail of thought was cut off as the dark haired man's dagger was put to her throat.

"Listen carefully, child." He spoke in a soft and disarming tone, but the dagger at her throat made his threat very clear. "I truly have no intention of harming you, I rather dislike hurting children, but our orders are absolute and I need this information."

He waited to see if she would spit something back at him. She said nothing, smart enough to know even curling her lips back in a snarl would risk the tip of the blade running across her chin. Grinning, Garland continued.

"Now, this bracelet." He moved his free hand to her wrist. She jerked back and the blade came closer. Now still, she had no choice but to let the man lift up her hand and examine her birthday gift from Toshiro. "It definitely has his mark. The young prince would not have given you something so tied to him. In fact, he's probably on his way here now, this bracelet warning him of the threat to your life."

"I doubt that." Came her sarcastic reply and she winced as the dagger nicked her skin. She felt warm liquid run down her neck.

"Do you now?" Garland quirked an eyebrow, shifting the dagger so she could speak without getting cut. "What do you think you are to him?"

"I told you, we're friends. And so are the other Soul Reapers." She growled at him.

"Did he give these other friends of his bracelets?"

"No…they have more fighting experience than I do, they don't need one."

"Ah, but this protects the wearer from our rather special brand of magic." Garland smiled. In any other situation he would have seemed kind, but with the dagger at her throat that smile made her very nervous, beginning to sweat. "We can inject our targets with a darkness called Fear. If enough is injected, it can cause you to hallucinate. Pain from wounds you never got, nightmares made real, reality mixed with your darkest horrors. But this trinket he gave you protects you from that. I would think he'd want all his friends to avoid such a horrible brand of magic. Unless…" The blade moved closer and Karin heard Sarcum snicker. "He sees you as more than a friend."

"He probably just thinks I can't handle it, the bastard." Karin ground through her teeth, careful not to move too much. "Now I kind of want him to show up. That way I can show him how pissed off I am."

Garland chuckled.

"You humor me, child. Very well, if the bracelet is not enough to prove you're the one he cares for most, what about the rescue he had his Royal Guard make, to bring you to him?"

"He wasn't expecting that." She shrugged, keeping her head still. "Wasn't his choice."

Now the man frowned.

"Hm, perhaps you're not the one we're looking for." He removed the blade and turned away, Karin thinking that maybe she'd catch a break and be set free. "Sarcum, have your fun."

"Love you!" The man spoken of appeared behind the girl and her eyes widened, heart racing in panic.

'_Damn, what do I do now?_' Her mind blanked as those deadly claws were seen in the corner of her eye. '_He's going to kill me!_'

Suddenly, there was a thunderous roar and something crashed through the roof of the building. The claws were pulled away and both men stood guard as the dust began to clear away with strong beats of crimson wings.

"Dyrilæn!" Karin exclaimed, happy to see the dragoness.

"A dragon partner?" Garland scowled, now holding both of his blades in hand.

"Back away from my partner!" Dyrilæn snarled at them, lashing out at Garland as he was closest. The air heated up at her rage.

Sarcum looked murderous at the intrusion and turned to finish off their hostage, knowing the dragon would stop long enough to be killed once the girl was dead. Before he could cut her, though, thick golden chains wrapped around him.

"A Bakudo spell?" His eyes widened and he turned to see the culprit.

Senjumaru glared daggers back as she held her hand out for another Kido spell. Darkness covered the binds, allowing Sarcum free and he lashed back at her with a silent spell of his own, the two clashing in the middle in a large explosion. Amidst the chaos, the woman appeared beside him, her zanpaktou drawn, and locked blades with him.

Karin tried to squirm out of the shadowy tendrils binding her but found they tightened as she did so. Her two saviors were too busy fighting to help her and her zanpaktou was leaning against the wall further away. At least, it was; when she'd glanced back to check on it the blade was no longer there.

A cold hand brushed her arm and she whipped around.

"Toshiro!" She exclaimed upon recognizing white hair and teal eyes.

"Hold still." He demanded, hand over the binding. The air grew heavy and the tendrils were quickly frozen over before being snapped away. "Here."

The Ice Prince returned the girl her zanpaktou and she cast him a grateful glance before turning to where her dragon fought with Garland. The man was patient, waiting out her rage filled strikes and landing a blow across the tough scales.

"I have to help her." Karin said to Toshiro, the fire in her eyes letting him know she wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Go then, she's your partner." He nodded and turned to where his Royal Guard fought with Sarcum. She seemed to be doing fine on her own, but while these weren't Demon Lords, he could tell they were stronger than they seemed. "Shutara."

That was all she needed, stepping back a moment and pulling out a small silver item from her sleeve. She cast her Spirit Energy into it and the spatial freeze was activated. Sarcum smirked.

"Thanks, now I can fight at full strength!" Darkness began to drift off of him as his Spiritual Pressure rose.

"So can I." Toshiro snapped and the large storehouse became deathly cold. The man scowled as his power was overwhelmed.

"Come to save your princess, I see." He said in a dangerous tone.

"Her dragon insisted on it." Toshiro lifted up his blade, ready to fight.

Senjumaru moved away to help Karin, moving the dragon back as the cuts began to add up. The young dragon was not yet ready for such fights, as she didn't even have her breath. Without that a dragon had no power.

"You really are an Ice Prince." Sarcum let a small smirk through though his rage was obvious. "I'm starting to wonder if there's anyone you care about."

"Family, friends. I did live as a child of poverty once; there were few people to get along with anyway."

"Right, and then you became the prodigy Captain."

Deciding that was enough talk, Toshiro Flash Stepped forward and swung at the man's side. The silver claws caught the blade, a second pair on the man's other hand revealed and aimed towards Toshiro's head. Twisting the long sword he moved it up and blocked those, both sets of claws now latched to his zanpaktou. He cast his power out and ice started spreading up his arms. The man pulled away quickly and attempted to break off the ice, but it was too late.

"You're not as strong as the Demon Lords." Toshiro noted.

"Heh," Sarcum gave in, the ice had already killed the nerves in his arms, "you have no idea how strong those girls are. Don't think killing us means you've got any real power. You just wait, they'll kill you off without even trying."

"You best hope your word remains true." Toshiro created the crescent chain-blade on the end of his zanpaktou and spun it beside him.

Despite his obvious death awaiting him, the blonde-brunette cast a wicked grin his way, showing the demon inside. The ice was crawling up his neck now, covering his torso. Soon it would completely encase him.

"Don't underestimate us, Ice Prince." The hiss in his tone made Toshiro shiver unwillingly and his grip on the chain tightened. When the man began to whisper something in quick tones, Toshiro tossed the chain-blade forward. A concentrated burst of Spiritual Pressure froze the man in several inches of ice, which the blade quickly shattered apart.

But then something unexpected happened. The Spirit Energy of the demon man still lingering suddenly conformed into a single orb of darkness. Sensing a threat in this orb, Toshiro attempted to move away, but he wasn't fast enough as it exploded outward, casting darkness throughout the building. Some of it latched onto him and he gasped as a dark feeling latched onto his heart, causing him pain. It vanished quickly but he knew the significance of that feeling; the Fear had increased in him.

"Prince Hitsugaya!" Senjumaru exclaimed in shock, darting over to him. Garland was currently burning to ash from Karin's zanpaktou as the Royal Guard's Kido prevented him from moving or speaking. Two demons of Dethmaiyn dead.

"I'm fine." Toshiro waved the woman back, regaining his composure. "We need to leave."

"So soon?" Dyrilæn frowned, inching closer to her partner. Karin also frowned and put a hand to the dragon's side.

Toshiro looked between the two of them before sighing.

"I suppose there's no rush." He said and the dragon purred happily. "Besides, I need to speak to everyone, now that I think about it."

"What about?" Karin tilted her head to the side in question.

"You'll see." The Ice Prince sheathed his blade and started heading outside, his guardian close by. "Be careful, Dyrilæn, you may not be openly welcomed."

"Oh I'll solve that problem." Karin smirked as she, too, followed him back to the Urahara shop.

* * *

**They've killed their first demons! Okay, they're not really demons, just demon masters and kind of crazy, but they'd still beat the hell out of weak Soul Reapers and some of the lower seated officers Karin's power is at about Fourth Seat at this point in time and of course Shiro is ten times stronger than he had been as a Captain, so not that hard for them. Still, good intel here ^^ And the part with them basically self-destructing into Fear, which is a problem.**

**Enjoy!**


	43. Training Soul Society

"Back again, hm?" Ichigo crossed his arms as he looked down at the young prince, as he hadn't quite reached the five foot range yet. Toshiro glared but continued on; it was not the time to argue with the Substitute.

It wasn't really a problem for them to accept the crimson dragon, as Yuzu was actually there with Shimmer too, introducing her to the Soul Reapers. Momo and Rangiku were all over the crystal dragon and Shimmer bathed in the attention happily.

"Why the sudden visit, my lord." Kisuke asked with a dramatic bow.

"Don't call me that." Toshiro frowned.

"Your Majesty?"

"No."

"Hm, Your Highness?"

"No."

"Prince Hitsugaya, then?"

"…Fine. I'm still not used to all these names."

"But you have to get used to them." Rangiku pointed out.

"It's only been two months." He argued. She just shrugged and let it go. "How is training with Nakryin?"

"Tougher than I thought." Ikkaku scratched his head. "Girl is quicker than I expected."

"Very." Yoruichi grumbled.

"You're just mad because she's faster than you." Yumichika poked fun at the she-cat.

"She's only faster because she found a way to use her Spirit Energy to make her faster." Toshiro cut in. "If she ever gets around to it she'll show you how."

"It's not that big a deal, really." The purple haired woman shrugged it off. "Why the sudden interest in our training when you're still in your own?"

"Dethmaiyn's demons have upped the ante." He replied. "They've gone from observing to kidnapping." He motioned to Karin.

"They kidnapped you!?" Ichigo darted to his sister. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, fine." Karin laughed nervously. "Just a few scratches, that's all. Lady Shutara was a big help."

"Thankfully I was able to see to the gashes on your back." The woman commented, having been standing off to the side all the while.

"Gashes!?" Ichigo looked pale.

"Ichi, calm down! I'm fine!"

"I made sure that man paid for what he did." Dyrilæn let out with a growl. "They suffer in Hell now, forever and always."

"Huh, having a dragon partner seems useful." Kisuke smirked.

Toshiro and Karin both nodded their agreement, and Yuzu giggled happily, playing with her own dragon partner.

"Moving on." The young prince cut in once more. "If the demons are going to start this fight you all need to be prepared. There's no guarantee at this point that Dethmaiyn will keep this war among the Soul King's Realm anymore. He's aiming for me and with my ties to both this world and the Soul Society he'll attempt to damage them both in order to get to me. I'm not going to let him destroy that."

"You're finally letting us in on it, are ya?" Ikkaku grinned madly, eager for a fight.

"I don't really have a choice." The white haired prince replied. "Not that you all would have given me one."

There were several replies of confirmation and he sighed lightly.

"I can't stay long, there are still things I need to do, but I can send fighters to help you all get stronger. The Soul Society needs to strengthen itself to new levels if they want to fight off the demons. The Royal Guard can help you as well."

"Alright, sounds like a plan." Renji smirked and hit his fists together. "Just say the word, prince, and you have all of us on your side."

"We'll help you any way we can." Rangiku agreed, stepping forward and showing her determined air.

Toshiro relaxed his stance ever so slightly and gifted them with a rare smile, some of them blinking in surprise. Then it was gone and his cold façade had returned.

"I don't know when I'll be able to return. Keep alert for any of the demons and watch yourselves, they're stronger than they look."

Out of his range of vision, Karin looked down at the bracelet on her wrist.

'_They said this protects me from Fear._' She mused, looking back up at Toshiro as Momo came to hug him goodbye. '_Why won't he give everyone else one? I'd think he'd give Momo one at least, considering she's like his sister._'

'_**Looks like the boys were right, you're far more special to him than you think.**_' Her zanpaktou offered.

'_More like I'm right. Everyone here has fighting experience, even Momo. I don't have as much as they do, so he thinks I need protection._'

'_**You know, I kind of wonder why he's not wearing one. If he's the target, you would think he'd be wearing something to protect himself from their Fear.**_'

'_Yeah…you're right. I'll ask him before he leaves, I need to say bye to Dyrilæn anyway.'_

Together the large group headed down to Urahara's basement to enter his makeshift Senkaimon back to the Soul Society. Toshiro was adamant about letting the Head Captain know, but he was leaving that to Senjumaru while he and Dyrilæn returned home. The dragoness wasn't very happy about that but she knew she had no choice.

Before he could vanish for who knows how long again, Karin pulled him aside. He quirked an eyebrow at her, curious.

"If you're so worried about protecting me from their magic, why don't you have one, considering you're their target?" She asked, holding up her wrist with the bracelet.

He glanced at it and looked rather tense all of a sudden, glancing quickly away.

"I can handle it better." He replied. "Most of it is destroyed as it comes into contact with my Spiritual Pressure."

"But not all of it." She crossed her arms.

"What I myself don't destroy, Nakryin can. That's her specialty. I don't need one, Karin, and besides, it was for your birthday."

She hid the tinge in her cheeks with a huff and turned away, pretending to accept that answer.

"I'll be back when I can…I have to continue my own training, my father doesn't have much time left."

Her shoulders slumped and she turned back to him. That's right, his father was on his death bed. She never got to meet the man but he seemed okay, as he was able to get Toshiro to open up a bit.

"Don't hurt yourself trying too hard." She told him and saw him smirk slightly.

"I won't."

Now it was time for him to leave. With the crimson dragon at his side he left for the pillar to take him back to his father's realm while Senjumaru started ushering them back towards the Seireitei. They had Soul Reapers to train.

Toshiro paused to watch them leave, his eyes lingering on Karin.

"Hopefully she never finds out just how that bracelet protects her from Fear." He whispered and turned away, Dyrilæn already ahead of him and ready to go.

'_**She'd be very unhappy about it.**_' Hyorinmaru agreed.

'_Sofia keeps an eye on me, whenever it spikes she calls her master over and they remove the Fear before it attaches._'

'_**Perhaps Nakryin should be the one carrying the other end, then. It wouldn't affect her at all.**_'

'_No, her body reflects it back. It wouldn't help Karin at all._'

'_**Then you better be careful.**_'

With one last glance back at his group of friends, the white haired prince stepped into the Tenchuren and, with Kukaku's help, left for the Soul King's Realm.

* * *

**Short chapter. Just a transition. Not much to say...yeah...Enjoy! Next chapter not until after school tomorrow so be patient with me, please!**


	44. Meeting of Commanders

The meeting was soon.

Toshiro had spoken to his father last night about it. The eight world commanders residing over the different branches there were all to gather with the king, and this time him as well, to see what all was happening around the world. The young prince planned on mentioning the Japanese branch's possible involvement in the battle to come, as they weren't about to back down now. He'd mentioned it to Satoru last night and the man had looked rather amused by it all.

He walked with his father now, as he didn't know where the meeting was, and thought about how he was going to word it to the others. Surely they wouldn't be as amused by it as his father. They might think he was picking favorites, though considering he grew up in that branch it really shouldn't have been that much of a surprise, and it wasn't his choice, really. His friends would have done it anyway, orders or no.

Teal eyes glanced up at his father. The man looked a shade paler now and he had a slight slump to his shoulders; his condition was worsening. Toshiro frowned, concerned. How long did his father have left? Not long enough in his eyes; he'd only known him for two months.

Something else was also bothering him. He had yet to finish the book about the twin dragons, what their importance was, but the part he had read wasn't all that detailed and as cryptic as the King of Hell had been. The part he'd found that had interested him before Dyrilæn reported her partner in danger had been a mentioning of a prophecy, However, most of it was scratched out save for two lines: Twin drakes reveal a world once lost, light does fade as death is near.

'_The first part is sort of understandable._' He mused. '_It seems to suggest that someone with two dragons finds a new world. Or…something like that. It could just be referring to the Soul King's Realm, since the Soul Society hardly ever knew anything about it until I started going back and forth._'

'_**Then perhaps the second part refers to Fear, as light fades in its presence.**_' Hyorinmaru offered.

'_But Nakryin can reverse it._' He paused as they reached the meeting room. '_I'll think about this later if I ever have time to finish that book._'

"Ready?" Satoru turned to his son.

"Yes."

The two stepped inside, eight other figures already there, sitting around a circular table of dark wood, the walls cream colored so as not to be distracting. The Soul King took his seat at the head with a chair beside him for Toshiro, who sat quietly.

"Good day to you all." The king spoke. "I'm sure you've all met my son, by now."

"We have." Alicia replied.

"Very well, let's get started."

Toshiro listened with interest to what everyone had to say. The branches in the North American region seemed to be having trouble with the citizens in the slums, their version of the Rukongai, and he blamed it on America's stubbornness of free speech and need to help others, even if they were invading into the realm of other branches of Soul Society. Sure, America was a diverse nation, but it seemed to be having difficulty keeping its hands to itself. It was a rather new system, there was bound to be some trouble there. The others all seemed to be normal, with their slum citizens feeling a little worse for wear with the Soul Reapers of each branch doing their jobs. Nothing out of the ordinary in the other countries, no signs of demon interference.

"The only real trouble seems to remain in the Japanese branch." Spoke Hazuki Moonleaf, a lean woman with pale green hair and amber eyes in charge of the side of Asia containing Japan. "First Sosuke Aizen pops up trying to play Soul King, though thankfully he was taken down before anything drastic happened, and now Dethmaiyn is Hell bent on messing things up down there."

"You don't think Sosuke Aizen's attempt at trying to create a King's Key was drastic?" Toshiro argued, bristling a bit at the thought. He'd been in that war, and that war had almost killed him.

"We actually were planning on stepping in." Hazuki quickly corrected. "In fact, the Royal Guard, Ruala Nakryin, had intentions of helping the fight, but then Ichigo Kurosaki somehow managed to put a stop to Aizen before she could step out of this realm."

"And you have to understand, my lord, we're fighting our own war." Spoke Damian Talor, commander of the four to five African branches. "The threat of Dethmaiyn affects more than one branch; it affects all the realms of this Earth."

Though still a little miffed, Toshiro let it go. He was right; this demon threat was far more than Aizen's threat. If he'd had the power he'd earned now during the Winter War, Aizen would have already been defeated before he'd even made an Arrancar army. But even with that same power he had trouble defeating one of Dethmaiyn's lesser demon warriors; Sarcum was clearly caught off guard, making that the only reason he'd won, he knew that.

"If Dethmaiyn has turned to threatening the Japanese branch, probably because I have a history there, wouldn't it be right to give the Soul Society there a fighting chance?"

"Could they even handle it?" Hotaru, younger sister of Hazuki and commander of the other Asian branches, questioned.

"I have no doubt most of them could." Toshiro replied. "And for a human, Ichigo Kurosaki shows quite a bit of talent."

A few of the commanders snickered. They knew the death berry's story.

"He makes an interesting point." Satoru hummed. "Though I suppose if I were to tell you no you would do it anyway, no?"

"If I told them no they'd do it anyway."

The king chuckled at that.

"What do you have in mind, young prince?" Kavain questioned.

"One way of saying it is we give the Japanese branch of Soul Society an upgrade. There are lots of powerful Soul Reapers there, if we can get them to increase it even Dethmaiyn's Demon Lords will have a cause to worry."

Several of them nodded in understanding. Strategies were then discussed between them as they wondered how best to train the Japanese fighters into a demon fighting force. With Hazuki being the commander in charge of their branch, she easily volunteered her skills to the training, and Toshiro mentioned how Ruala had already been training some of them. Satoru listened with interest as his son easily took charge of how these events would go, silently admiring how quickly the boy fit into his role. There was no question his son would be a powerful Soul King.

Once everything was decided, the commanders began to move out. Hazuki lagged behind as Toshiro left to find Ruala before she headed out to train the others.

"Well, despite his age, I must say it's very easy to see him as the authority." She spoke to the king, who remained in his seat as he pondered things they would probably never guess. "Must be his experience as a Captain."

"He's a natural leader." Satoru chuckled. "A little stiff, though. Lady Greenleaf is attempting to…open him up a bit. He's used to leading warriors, but not everyone here is a fighter."

"In these times that might be just what we need, Soul King."

The man frowned a bit.

"Yes…perhaps you're right." He stood and headed out of the room, Hazuki following for a time before heading off in her own direction. She needed to talk to those under her, warn them that she would be out of the realm more often now.

Thankfully for Toshiro, Ruala was in the palace and easy to get to. The blonde woman was nursing a strange creature that Toshiro had never seen before, a skinny creature with short fur and large eyes, body long like a snake but with three sets of legs, toes webbed. She finished healing a small wound and Sofia took off in eagle form with the creature on her back, back to the Kingdom of Magika.

"What did the council decide?" She asked quietly, turning to him.

"They agreed with me." He replied. "The Japanese branch is going to get some special treatment for a while until Dethmaiyn can be stopped."

"Do you plan on assisting in the training?"

He sighed heavily.

"I can't, I have things I need to do here." He glanced around him. They were in a work room, several souls running around getting things done. "I still haven't mastered Hyorinmaru's new attacks, and there are duties I need to know how to do."

"But these people are your friends." Ruala argued quietly. "Surely you want to help them? Many of the things you're trying to learn through this discipline of yours can be learned later, and people would understand why you didn't know it."

"That may be…" He mused aloud. "But…I want to know how to get the other marks; I'm not exactly sure what to do for each one. At least let me train my new power before I rush off to train the others."

The woman tilted her head but spoke no more, simply remaining in her seat and looking through a few files she'd had sitting on her lap, occasionally writing on one. She was a Royal Guard; she had her own fair share of paperwork. Toshiro did too, but thankfully it was far less than what he was used to as a Captain and for once he thanked Rangiku's laziness, as it somewhat prepared him for the work he did here.

Leaving the girl to her work, Toshiro wandered back to the icy floor to train.

'_**Why are you avoiding them?**_' Hyorinmaru questioned as the young prince unsheathed him and began his practice.

'_I'm not avoiding them, I was serious. I've only been in this position for two months; I can't just show up and start telling them how to fight things that I'm not even sure how to fight without some kind of experience myself._'

'_**You've killed one of the lesser demon masters.**_'

'_Key word being 'lesser' here._'

'_**Yes, that's true. But you fail to see the point. You are the Soul Prince, with Spiritual Pressure ten times stronger than the average Captain. They will listen to you, they will follow. Perhaps not all of them, but you can bet most of them will. Kurosaki trusts you, and everyone trusts Kurosaki.**_'

'_I know…_' He paused as switched to Shikai. He'd been attempting to use some of his Bankai techniques while in Shikai, as it lessened the power behind it while still giving him something powerful to attack with. '_It's more for my sake…if I can feel confident in my power I can better help them. The people here are counting on me, I need to be strong._'

'_**You need to stop caring about what everyone thinks. As long as they're safe it doesn't matter what they think.**_'

There was silence between them as Toshiro switched to Bankai and attempted to use the two-part technique, wanting to know its name. It was on the tip of his tongue, but when he attempted to say it, it slipped away again and the attack fell apart.

'_I won't be heading back any time soon….My father needs me here._'

The ice dragon did not reply to that.

* * *

**Ugh, first day of school is crazy. But I promised a chapter after school so here ya go! Enjoy!**


	45. Preventative Measures

Fire flashed in his field of vision, figures trapped inside in a deadly dance. Cries filled the air with horror and pain. Several figures turned towards him, looking at him with pleading eyes, but he could do nothing. His body would not move, his power would not follow his command. Ice shot forward but did not remove the flames, it simply ended their suffering.

'_I can't let this happen…so why?_'

This wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want people to die. He knew it was inevitable, but when they looked at him with faces full of horror and only a faint hope that he could save them squashed as his out of control power pulled them into the darkness, he felt helpless, pathetic.

Demons flitted about happily, gathering the bodies of the dead for their own sick entertainment. One approached him with a grin, holding a different body.

'_Leave me alone…_'

The black haired figure was tossed to the side and the demon laughed joyously as horror crossed his face, but he could not run to her. It was as though he'd been bound.

'_Stop this…_'

The demon came closer, claws touching his chest and slowly digging towards his heart. Against his will he screamed in pain.

A deafening roar and the world became black and cold. The pain was gone.

Toshiro shot up straight in his bed, panting heavily and coated with sweat. After a moment and a few deep breaths, he managed to calm himself back down, hands fisted into his hair.

'_Another one…_' He mused, grimacing.

'_**Why have you not told Nakryin about this?**_' Hyorinmaru growled. The minute he'd been able to get through to his Master he'd snapped him out of the nightmare.

'_There's nothing she can do…it's the Fear, the part she can't reach._'

'_**There must be something she can do, I won't stand for this. These nightmares must end.**_'

'_I'm sorry, Hyorinmaru_.' He sighed heavily and turned to the window; it was still dark outside, not quite morning. '_The light I inherited from my father isn't the same Nakryin uses to dispel the Fear, I can't do it myself…and despite everything that's happened, I still don't trust her enough for her to dispel it._'

He did not go back to sleep, deciding to take a look at the book about the dragons again. Shifting over to his desk, he flipped to the part with the prophecy, most of it scratched out. It was the fourth line of the poem out of six, and each line had two small parts, a rather familiar format. Supposedly the next page was meant to explain it, but that was ripped out. Someone did not want this prophecy known. Frustrated, Toshiro set the book down. He could assume anything with relation to the prophecy was ripped out and he also knew that the prophecy was the biggest clue he had to why everyone thought he was special.

'_**You should take it to Lilianna, ask for her assistance**_.' Hyorinmaru suggested.

'_She's probably sleeping right now, not even dragons can stay awake all day every day._'

Since there wasn't much to learn from the book now, unfortunately, he supposed his time would be better wasted training. He was close to getting the names of the attacks he'd learned on the mountain when fighting Ruala.

Also awake during the early morning hours, Sofia spotted the young prince heading down to his usual training spot and followed. She did so with a frown, something was wrong here. She'd noticed the boy's lack of sleeping and it was starting to affect him. Whatever was going on she had to know, but asking the boy outright never yielded any results, so she had to observe from a distance.

She became an Arctic Fox so as to withstand the cold while she watched him practice, looking deep for the traces of Fear. She frowned as she noticed how tightly packed the darkness had become, focused around the core of his soul and trying to get in. It was eating away at him. No wonder he couldn't sleep. But by this point it was too far in for her master to reach, and the prince surely knew that if he wasn't trying to get help. But it had to go away, before it wasted him away any more. There had to be something capable of removing it.

She continued to watch him until dawn rose and the young prince returned to his father's floor, once more burying himself with books and paper and generally avoiding people. Something had to be done.

Daring to leave him alone, the familiar darted up to the roof and gave a message to the ice dragon that always slept there. The message went through Myndræl to the fire drake Dyrilæn.

"That can work?" The dragoness tilted her head in question. "Aren't we a little young? I still don't have my powers."

"Sofia said it could since we both have partners. Partners that have been in contact with one another."

"And I thought I wasn't supposed to go out of the realms."

"Not to the World of the Living, but Sofia says Lady Ruala trains everyone in the Soul Society, including your partner. While she's there you can keep an eye on her. She wants you to protect her so no more Fear is passed through to my partner."

"It's his fault for making himself the magnet." She snorted. Myndræl growled. "Fine, sorry. I wouldn't want her being hurt anyway, so I'll do it."

"Okay, let's try it."

The drakes closed their eyes and hummed softly, a glow lighting up in their chest. It was a dim glow, but it continued to grow brighter as they continued to hum. Once it was bright enough, the lights of their Heart of Hearts mixed and a connection was made. They could now speak to one another telepathically.

"Guess it did work." She mused as the glow dimmed back down. "Alright, once I can I'll head right over to Karin."

"Keep in touch." Myndræl grinned, nudging her side fondly before taking off back to the palace.

Dyrilæn gave a purr before standing and heading over to the tree mansion in the Kingdom of Magika. Surely Ruala was about to head off for the Soul Society, she was still the only one training them. The others who had offered to help were still preparing and most of the Soul Society still didn't trust Ruala's reasons for suddenly deciding to train them, meaning not all of them were going along with the 'upgrade'. She'd heard that the Head Captain had been interested in Senjumaru's offer but was taking the time to consider it, even if several high-class Soul Reapers were already joining the effort.

The fire drake managed to speak to the Royal Guard before she left, explaining why she wanted to go and how it was Sofia who had suggested the idea. The woman saw no problem with it and used her Gravity element to teleport the two of them, the dragon offering her boundless Spirit Energy so Ruala wouldn't tire.

They appeared before several others in a large training field, one the Kido Corps had volunteered as they didn't use it much anymore and the circumstances were important; Tessai also managed to pull a few strings, meaning he and Kisuke could also go there.

"Whoa, you're not going to make us fight a dragon, are you?" Shinji frowned, looking up at the crimson dragoness.

"I would hope not." Karin said to him before stepping forward and hugging the dragon's muzzle. "She's my partner."

"Just thought I'd hang out in the Soul Society for a while." Dyrilæn grinned, watching with amusement as some of them backed away.

"You were allowed to?" Ichigo asked.

"For a little bit." The dragoness shrugged. "It's been kind of boring what with the prince being locked away in his room studying; he won't come out of there."

"Sounds like him." Rangiku sighed lightly with a smile. "Always busy."

"And whose fault was that?" Kadin pointed out with a smirk.

"Eh? What are you talking about?" She batted her lashes innocently. "I get my work done, Captain.

"Because I make you."

"You know, it's not fun when you use your shadows to put me back in the office."

"When you're done I won't do it."

Ignoring the Squad Ten pair, the others quickly fell into training practice with Ruala while Karin took some time to talk to Dyrilæn, as she hadn't seen the dragon in a few days.

"How's Shimmer?" The dragoness asked.

"Yuzu absolutely adores her." Karin smirked. "Those two do everything together, I've already gotten used to seeing Yuzu with a dragon on her shoulder, and she likes how she can take her to school without anybody noticing."

"Typical bond with a baby dragon. Since Shimmer bonded early she'll be really close to your sister as she grows up, maybe they'll even be able to talk telepathically."

"That's possible?" Karin's eyes widened.

"Yeah, but it takes a few years." Dyrilæn snorted. "With the younger ones it's easier since they'll have been bonded with their partner before reaching the age where she can do that. Has Shimmer shown any powers? Lady Lilianna says she's the strongest healing dragon she's ever seen."

"Not yet, but Yuzu doesn't really care. She says when Shimmer's ready she'll find her powers, there's no rush."

"Shimmer found a good partner."

"So is Toshiro really holed up in his room all day?"

"Either that or on another floor training for his new attacks he learned while training with Ruala."

"Why doesn't he train with us then?" Karin motioned to the others around her learning how to use their Spirit Energy to make their Flash Steps farther and faster. Byakuya and Soi Fon were taking the most interest in this, Yoruichi already having mastered it and showing it off to further encourage them, though they thought they were just challenging themselves.

"Myndræl says he's worried about hurting everyone." Dyrilæn replied. "After all, he's ten times stronger than a Captain now. Even in the Soul King's Realm he goes to a floor with no one around to train."

"Still, he could visit." She grumbled. "I know it's only been two or three days since he showed up last time, but since he went through the trouble of getting people to train us he could at least help."

"He's also been really worried about his father."

Karin silenced. Now that was something she didn't want to argue against, considering the circumstances. So she shoved aside the subject of the white haired prince and stood to join in on the practice, her dragon watching everyone in amusement as they tried so hard for something Toshiro had learned in minutes, if Myndræl's story was true.

Eventually they moved on to other things, like raising their Spirit Energy. The Royal Guard told them it would not be so easy for them as it had been for the Soul Prince, they had no unlocked power. They did see her glance at Ichigo and Karin though, as well as Kadin, before she asked if anyone would like to spar. Predictably, Kenpachi was first to the plate with a big grin plastered on his face. He'd only agreed to this training to fight with the demons when the time came.

"I won't use my elements." Ruala said timidly, pulling her hood further down over her face. She had yet to show her face to those gathered, no one knew what she really looked like.

"Eh?" Kenpachi frowned, confused.

"My power. I shall only fight."

"Tch, whatever floats your boat, I guess." He unsheathed his jagged edged zanpaktou and darted towards her, grin back in place.

The blades shot out of her arms and she was easily able to deflect the giant's attacks, though there was a frown on her face and a strain to her limbs. It was clear her talent did not lie within brute strength as Kenpachi's did.

There was a roar as a panther formed Sofia leaped for the Eleventh Squad Captain's back. He turned quickly and pushed her back, cutting the feline across the shoulder. With his distraction, however, Ruala was able to put her blades against his neck. This didn't seem to faze him as he moved forward and turned to strike at her. Her speed brought her out of strike range and she came up behind him. His blade went behind and blocked her strike.

"I'm surprised those swords haven't broken yet." He commented.

"They're made the same way as a zanpaktou." Ruala replied before striking at his side with her second blade and causing him to stumble away. He looked at the cut curiously before looking back at the one who'd caused it.

"Where is your zanpaktou?" He asked, a little curious.

"I don't have one." Ruala replied. She had never told them that, but they had never asked. At this sudden revelation they looked surprised. She did not elaborate.

"Well for not having a zanpaktou, you're pretty tough." Kenpachi grinned again. "That's all that matters! Haha!"

The battle started up again. They watched as Ruala slowly wore out the fighting Captain with small cuts, nothing overly damaging, and rough blows. Occasionally Sofia would jumped in as a distraction, reverting to different animal forms to further confuse him, and after some time the big man seemed to be tiring out. Ruala looked a bit out of breath herself, and she'd decided enough was enough.

She held both blades before her and charged them with electricity before launching it at him. The sudden change in attack surprised Kenpachi and the lightning hit with brutal force, knocking him into the wall.

The others watched, some with open mouths, as Ruala let her blades retract and simply stood there while Kenpachi remained in the rubble, unconscious.

"His power is raw." She stated quietly. "If he could refine it, he'd be able to fight the demons easily."

"What was that you did?" Kadin questioned curiously. "If you don't have a zanpaktou, how come you can use such an ability?"

She seemed to tense at his voice, hesitating to answer. She seemed to do that often, but when they asked Kadin he had no clue as to why. He thought it was perhaps his similarities to the prince, though they could be absolutely sure they weren't related, for if they were it would be Kadin in line for the throne, as he was older, not Toshiro.

"I am an Elementalist." She answered. "My strength comes from the elements." She let a small fire float above her hand to prove her point before letting that go and switching to air to stir the wind at her feet. The others watched in silent fascination.

"Hey, we should probably head home." Ichigo put a hand on his sister's shoulder. "You know what happens when we're late for dinner."

She grimaced and several Soul Reapers snickered, a few silencing at the steely glare sent their way.

"Okay then." She sighed. "See ya tomorrow, Dyrilæn."

The dragon purred and stayed put as the Kurosaki siblings went on their way home.

Sure enough, their father assaulted them for being only two minutes late back from training, but both his children quickly put him out. Shimmer was quick to the scene, unhappy with the fight, and her partner wasn't too far behind to settle the restless dragonling. Her healer tendencies were already starting to show, but no sign of powers, and unlike Myndræl's growth spurt the crystal dragon never seemed to get any bigger. She was learning to speak, though.

"Don't worry, Shimmer," Yuzu said soothingly to the white drake, "they're just playing, nothing terrible."

"Speak for yourself." Karin grumbled and took her seat at the table.

"Hurt?" Shimmer chirped in question.

"Nope, just fine." Isshin grinned up at the drake from the floor, rubbing his bruised cheek.

"Good!"

Cheery once more, the crystal dragon followed her partner to the kitchen where she sat upon her place at the countertop. Unlike most dragons, healing dragons were strictly vegetarian and so Shimmer tended to share more of a diet with horses and cows than any carnivore. Karin had used the dragon to get rid of her own greens until Yuzu had trained the dragonling not to accept anything off another's plate except Yuzu's.

At one point during the meal, leafy green eyes caught onto something at the window. Curious, Shimmer snuck her way over and peeked out her tiny head. Nothing there. Snorting in annoyance, she returned to her meal, though she could have sworn she'd caught the scent of darkness as she left the window.

* * *

**Fear is a bad thing. Very bad thing. Not good for Shiro. Sofia takes measures into her own...paws to make sure no more Fear is sent through the bracelet on Karin to the prince. By the way, in this story, the dragons can only be telepathically linked as Dyrilaen and Myndrael managed if they're either really close, like mates, or if their partners are, but they're too young to know that XD Enjoy!**


	46. Scattering the Nightmares

In the silent darkness, Sofia trotted over to the prince's bed and leaped onto it. What she saw caused her fur to stand on end; Toshiro was completely tense, looking ready for a battle, though he was definitely asleep. His eyes were shut tight with pain and he was sweating profusely. She thought the room had seemed cold and there was frost already starting to form on his bed and the nearby walls.

Acting immediately she jumped onto the prince's chest and called out for the power she and Ruala shared, spreading through his body a soft light. He began to calm down, muscles relaxing, but he still seemed frightened. He shook underneath her and she scowled. This was going too far, they needed to remove the Fear before it got any worse and drove the boy insane. She knew her master hated forcing things on people but if she didn't now they'd lose him.

She remained sitting atop him the rest of the night, preventing the nightmares from returning while she waited for Ruala. The room was warming again as his Spirit Energy returned to normal levels, though still rather chilly for which Sofia thanked her fur, just as Ruala stepped inside, quickly noticing how closely attached the Fear had become. Her Rahvain was right, this needed to end now or Kamai won without even trying.

"We don't have a choice." Sofia said sadly. "He's losing, you have to do it."

"I…I can't." Ruala frowned, standing nervously beside the sleeping prince.

"He won't last much longer, just look at him."

Ruala looked upon Toshiro's face, brows furrowed in pain and teeth clenched as some dark vision still fought through into his dreams. Her cat was right, he was losing this battle. She was sure this had been one of Kamai's master plans, if capturing Karin didn't work. To let the Fear slowly corrode the boy until he snapped on his own. Such a thing would bring great grief to the Soul King, who would have no choice but to crown the demon lord king.

She had no choice, but that didn't mean she had to like it.

"I want him to at least know what's going on." She managed to argue back. Sofia nodded, understanding completely. Besides, if they told him first he might just trust them enough that Ruala won't have to force it too far. That put a strain on both her and the one it was forced upon.

Carefully, the blonde shook the boy awake. Still in the realm of nightmares he awoke with a start, Sofia tumbling off of him as he sat up in alarm, eyes wide as he looked at them. Recognition settled in and he calmed back down.

"S-something you need?" He asked shakily.

"The Fear has spread too far." Ruala replied, multi-colored eyes full of concern. "I cannot let it sit any longer."

Toshiro clutched a hand to his chest, wincing as he remembered the nightmares.

"You're going to get rid of it?" He asked, sounding more hopeful than he'd first intended.

"If you'll let me."

"Of course."

Nodding, the Ruler of Magika had him lay back down. She had one hand hovered over his chest and the other his head as he closed his eyes again.

"Sofia." Ruala called out.

The feline sat on Toshiro's other side, near his head. She leaned down and spoke softly into the boy's ear.

"You have to help her with this." She said and saw him frown. "This is why trust is so important. You must lead her to the darkness lying in your heart. It will be stressful, it will be difficult, but it is the only way to save you."

"How do I lead her?" Toshiro questioned, eyes still closed.

"Permit her into your Inner World. Hyorinmaru can aid you, follow the darkness to its center and there she will remove it."

Light flowed softly from Ruala's hands and into the body of the white-haired prince. Toshiro tensed as a presence entered his thoughts that did not belong.

"Don't fight her." Sofia hissed.

'_This is uncomfortable…_' Toshiro grumbled, trying to accept the foreign presence.

'_I am sorry._' Ruala's voice echoed in reply.

With a little help from his dragon, the girl was pulled into his Inner World where he opened his eyes to the icy landscape. Ruala was there now as well, gazing up at the enormous Hyorinmaru with respect, even bowing to him to gain his trust. Satisfied that she understood that she was only a guest here, Hyorinmaru nodded his head to her and turned towards the lake.

"It's in the lake…the darkness…" Toshiro said.

Remembering what Sofia had said about leading her there, Toshiro started heading that way, even though he wanted anything but to go near the shadows nestling there, trying to tear away at his Inner World. His dragon followed from above, keeping an eye on the two of them and being strangely silent.

Just before they could breach the lake's surface, Hyorinmaru returned to the ground and barred Ruala's path.

"**Will you tell anyone of what you see?**" The dragon snarled, knowing full well the memories about to be thrown at his master as the Fear's form of defense were not ones he allowed anyone to know about except those who had been there.

"I never do." Ruala replied confidently. "It is up to the bearer to tell the memories of the heart, not I. This is why I do not like to force my power upon others."

Once more satisfied, the icy coils moved aside and the bright wings were tucked close to allow her passage. Taking a deep breath, Toshiro lead the way. The two of them leaped into the lake but were simply taken to its floor, perfectly able to breathe and move about freely as if they were not underwater.

The second they reached the shadows Toshiro was assaulted with memories of the nightmares, countless demons killing those he knew before him while he simply stood there.

Light flooded the shadows and the nightmares vanished.

"You value the lives of your friends." Ruala stated. "No demon can kill what is important to a valiant warrior."

"And yet I've lost many." Toshiro scowled, still reeling from the shock of the memory. If that was the Fear's first defense, he dreaded what was next.

"Giving up on Hope is what lets the Fear in." Ruala put a hand on his shoulder. "I cannot help you if you do not let me."

He hesitated, looking warily into the darkness. It was not like the last time he ventured into the darkness of the lake, as there had been no horrible sights set before him there. No, this darkness was out to break him, not test him. He backed away a step and Ruala frowned, remaining silent. This was his choice.

There was a rush of wind as Hyorinmaru joined them, putting his head down next to his master and giving out a reassuring purr. Ignoring Ruala's presence for the moment, Toshiro put his forehead to the dragon's frozen head and took a moment to steel his resolve with the ice dragon's support.

"Okay…Let's keep going." Determined, Hitsugaya once more set off towards the shadows, this time with Hyorinmaru behind him.

As he stepped into the shadows they latched onto him, but Ruala was there to dissolve them with her light. Still, each touch made him shudder, a memory he'd rather leave forgotten rushing to the front of his mind and causing him to wince. He looked past it, setting them aside with the knowledge that they were only memories, that they couldn't hurt him anymore.

Something shifted in the shadows and rushed towards them. Toshiro put his arm up and let a flow of ice shoot forward to stop the strange shape. In that moment, when he thought perhaps they could hurt him, the Fear latched back on and the shadow became a figure that sparked rage in the prince's heart.

Aizen grinned and slashed upwards, the same way he had before where Toshiro had nearly lost his arm. It felt like he had again as pain tore through his side. Furious, Hyorinmaru sent an icy breath at the shadow to send it back.

But attacking it only seemed to make it worse. The shadows converged on them to defend itself. Ruala panicked a little, it was far too dense here, and the prince could not focus. He was leaned against his dragon, eyes wide in shock as he held a hand to his side where the scar still lay, surprised his arm was still attached. It had felt so real. The Fear could all too easily latch onto him right now.

It was no longer time for permission.

"_Vanquish the shadows, goddess of the sun. Purify the spirits before you and show Fear its end! Let Hope rise once more!_" Golden light flowed softly off her body and the darkness backed away. Toshiro turned to the woman, wondering what she was doing, as well as why he felt so strange. It was an airy feeling, like there was nothing to worry about, like he should sleep. His eyes began to close. "_The darkness flees within this holy light! Hope's Embrace!_"

Just as the light spread outward and began to dissolve the creeping shadows, Ruala rushed over to Toshiro and cast a spell upon him.

"Do not slumber, prince." She warned as the airy feeling left him and he snapped awake. "I had hoped to avoid forcing it upon you as it can force you into a comatose state, but I had no choice."

He just nodded, mind still scrambled from everything that was going on.

"Awaken, the shadows will disperse." The scenery around him grew blurry as Ruala's spell pulled him back into the waking world.

He opened his eyes once more to his room, though this time he felt sore, limbs heavy.

"I am sorry." Ruala pulled her hands away, allowing him to sit up. Toshiro ran a hand through his hair as he tried to put his thoughts back in order. "I could not remove it all."

"It's enough." He replied quietly. "I can handle it now."

"It is not as attached." She reported, closing her eyes to focus on the scattered tendrils of Fear still inside him. "But I will not force my hand again."

"You did what you could, thank you." He sighed. "I suppose one of these days I'll be able to let you in farther."

"In your own time." She offered a tiny smile, her familiar padding over to her in silence. "That amount of trust is not easy to obtain."

He nodded in agreement. The guardian stood to leave, her job done. As she reached the door, teal eyes spotted the dragon book on his desk and he perked up.

"Wait." He called out.

Curious, the blonde stopped and turned back, Sofia jumping into her arms and also looking at him curiously. They watched as he removed himself from the bed and went to pick up the book before walking over to them.

"There's something in here that's almost completely scratched out, and anything pertaining to it is removed entirely." He explained. Sofia shifted to her master's shoulder so she could take the book and look through it. "The lines have a similar pattern to the ones you told me back in the Soul Society, two short lines."

Glancing over the scratched out prophecy, Ruala noticed he was right.

"This is what I knew." She said in a whisper. "The lines I spoke to you simply came to me; I had no knowledge of them before. Time has a way of doing that."

"One of your elements?"

"Yes." She ran a finger over the short line parts still visible. "One I cannot very well control. Time is fickle that way, it shows me things and I repeat them. Prophecies are part of that."

"So your riddles were part of a prophecy?" Toshiro raised an eyebrow. Well, Sofia had said her words meant a thousand meanings while influenced by the Time element, or at the time she had called it the Gold Eye.

"Seems so, and part of this one." The girl ran a hand over the first two lines and the scratches were removed, shifting once more back into their proper alignment. "I don't know the others so I can't replace them. Time will tell the rest of this prophecy, a prophecy that seems to be about you."

She handed the book back to a very confused prince who looked at the page again, part of the words restored now. What the rest said he had absolutely no clue. There was no logic behind prophecies, nothing he could go off of except the other lines.

"I want to know what it says." He mused aloud. "Everyone keeps saying I'm special because of my two dragons, I want to know why."

"To have two dragons is rare." Ruala replied. "The last to have two lived many thousands of years ago, near the dawning of civilization, a heavenly guardian that ruled the realms fairly and with a firm hand."

She paused as she saw the boy's eyes widen considerably at her words.

"Did you say…heavenly guardian?" Toshiro's voice shook a little and she nodded nervously. "Gin Ichimaru…he once told me I was the reincarnation of a heavenly guardian…I simply thought it was a joke, something to confuse me." He focused back on the woman before him. "How could he know something like that?"

"Perhaps he found that information somewhere and was able to connect it to you, the wielder of the ice dragon."

"You think he might have known who I was?"

"There is no guarantee of that. Perhaps he thought you knew already and was testing you to prove it, though since you yourself did not know he was most likely disappointed. It might even be why Sosuke Aizen seemed to target you more than others."

"One of the commanders said you were about to intervene in the Winter War."

"I was. I did know it was you who was the prince, and as such I could not let you die, but Ichigo Kurosaki stepped in and put the menace to his end and your life was saved. My service was not needed."

"I suppose that's a good thing, in hindsight." He set the book back down "You would have had to explain why you came to stop Aizen yourself."

"I could have done so without revealing your birthright. You were not ready for that knowledge." She glanced out the window. "You should sleep now, you need the rest."

He grimaced slightly but nodded, returning to his bed as the guardian left, Sofia leaping down only to jump onto his bed and lay next to him for the night. Hopefully now he could sleep peacefully and regain his strength. That had been too close for comfort.

Though many questions circled Toshiro's mind, Hyorinmaru refused to let him stay up all night pondering it and dragged him into sleep, a deep sleep he would not wake from until his energy was recovered. There would be time for pondering later.

* * *

**A little dark for this chapter. Can talk long, got homework! Thank you for putting up with me! ^^ Enjoy!**


	47. The Scale is Tilted

"Karin!" Yuzu's voice floated upstairs where the black haired teen was trying to get some homework done. Apparently training to fight a war with demons didn't exclude her from school. "Have you seen Shimmer!?"

"She's your dragon, how would I know!?" Karin shouted back.

She heard her twin groan before sighing and leaving the room. If the crystal dragon wasn't on Yuzu's shoulder than there must be something she'd found to catch her interest. Either that or she was in her rebellious stage and hiding from her partner. Did dragons have a rebellious stage?

The twins looked around the house for Shimmer only to find her hanging halfway out the kitchen window, leafy eyes shifting around through the scenery.

"There you are!" Yuzu cried happily and Shimmer looked back at her. "What are you doing there? You'll fall out."

"Scent." The dragon chirped.

"Scent?" Karin tilted her head. "Did you find something?"

"No." Shimmer's head drooped.

"It's okay; it might just be a stray cat." Yuzu assured the dragon, picking her up. Shimmer cast a wary glance at the window but did not squirm.

Frowning, Karin approached the window instead. Shimmer wasn't the type of dragon to fret over a cat. Even as tiny as she was she could take on even the nastiest cat in the street with her leathery protective skin and sharp teeth. Even as a vegetarian the dragon had some wicked canines. Whatever it was to catch Shimmer's wary attention like that was bad news.

She reached out with her Spiritual Pressure as she was taught to do but caught onto nothing. What could the dragon have found?

"Oh! Shimmer!" Karin whipped around at Yuzu's startled voice, just in time to see the small white dragon leap out a different window.

"I'll get her." Karin said quickly to the startled girl and bolted out the door. "What are you thinking, Shimmer?"

For a dragon without flight Shimmer was pretty fast as she bolted across yards and over fences, Karin following as best she could and wondering what the drake was after. This was completely out of character for her. Shimmer never left the house without Yuzu nearby.

"Get back here!" Karin shouted.

"Demon!" Shimmer called back.

That made Karin speed up her step, wishing she'd gotten out of her body before leaving. Now looking ahead past the dragon instead of at her, she finally saw what it was Shimmer had seen, a small form darting through shadows like a bat out of hell, desperately trying to escape a weak drake a third its size.

'_It must be a spy or something if it's running like that instead of fighting._' She grumbled to herself.

'_**Let's see who it's running to.**_' Homuratei agreed. '_**Use the Soul Candy Urahara gave you.**_'

Karin obliged and gave a short order for the Artificial Soul to return home before Flash Stepping back up to the dragon and picking her up. Once sure the dragon was securely on her shoulder she raced after the demon again. This one wasn't as fast as the others, which was odd for something that needed to spy and get away quickly. Perhaps her assumption was wrong.

The demon raced fervently into the park where there was someone awaiting him, another scarlet robed figure, a woman with long silver hair and crimson eyes. Spotting the demon's pursuers, she scowled and vanished into darkness. Her power had not been as sharp or overwhelming as Firiat's had been, so the girl hoped she wasn't a Demon Lord.

Startled by the abandonment of its master, the impish demon turned back to them with a horrified look and Karin's katana was put to its throat, pinning it to the ground. At her shoulder, Shimmer growled.

"What were you doing at my house, huh?" She demanded.

"He-uh-Palin was-er-um." The demon chattered uselessly.

"You a spy?"

It nodded.

"Who were you spying on?"

The demon pointed at her.

'_Probably should have known that_.' Karin inwardly sighed, remembering how every time a demon or their masters showed up they were after her.

"Who was that woman?"

Silence.

"Who was it?!"

"Lady Star!" It squeaked out. "Told by Dark Master to watch you! Sent Palin!"

"You Palin?"

It nodded again.

"Okay Palin, why was that person told to spy on me?"

"See if prince come back." The demon shrunk under her glare. This was by far the weakest demon she'd ever seen. "Then Lady Star kidnap you."

"Again with the kidnapping." Karin rolled her eyes. "Last time that happened my dragon fried you guys."

"Prince came too." The demon reminded before shrinking away again as she glared. "Palin also keep eye on you, watch you get stronger."

"You know, this Dark Master of yours is kinda stupid if he keeps sending you guys after me. I'm not some damsel in distress he can just flaunt in front of Toshiro to make him mad. I fight back, and I'm not going to let you bastards kidnap me."

"Dark Master is much smarter." Palin growled. Shimmer growled back. "He has many plans. You just one of them."

"Well it's one he better stop trying to use because unless he comes here himself I don't think he's all that much, just a coward hiding in the shadows."

Enraged by her comment, Palin slipped around the sword and launched up at her. Bristling, Shimmer pounced it and knocked it off balance, allowing Karin to stab it through the heart before the dragonling got hurt. The demon went still before bursting into black flame and withering away, the ashes scattering to the wind. Easy enough. She wondered what would have happened had the woman stayed behind.

Sheathing her blade, Karin picked up Shimmer and started on her way home.

"Thanks Shimmer, he caught me off guard there." Karin said with a smile to the crystal drake.

Shimmer purred and went into her natural perch on the girl's shoulder while they walked in silence.

She didn't tell anyone about the spy or how she had just taunted the king of demons himself to that spy, simply brought Shimmer back to her sister and returned to her body, shrugging it off as the dragonling chasing down a cat. Though Shimmer frowned at the lie, she was unable to speak what truly happened. Karin felt she was going to regret this later.

While her twin fixed dinner and she continued her homework once more, Karin's eyes shifted to the bracelet on her wrist. She worried the black flames had been some physical form of that Fear her ex-kidnappers had mentioned and that they might have attached to Shimmer, but the dragon seemed fine. She hadn't felt anything and the bracelet hadn't reacted or anything. She recalled it flashing when the Fear that had exploded out after Sarcum's death had come close to her.

"Ugh, I wish I could go back." She groaned. "I have so many questions."

'_**You had the chance to ask him, but you were too distracted by the dragons.**_'

"Shut up, Homuratei." Karin growled. "He took me there, it's his fault. Something always happens and I forget to ask him things."

'_**Oh yes, blame your darling prince for 'distracting' you.**_'

"Don't word it like that. And he's not MY prince, he's THE prince."

'_**And the one person who can turn you into a blushing school girl.**_'

"It's not my fault that damn smile of his is so disarming." She grumbled. "He probably has loads of princesses or ladies looking to win him over."

'_**If I recall he's actually locked in his room all day.**_'

"Oh yeah." She sighed. "What a bore."

She went back to her homework, forgetting about the prince for now. The attachment she thought she'd had to him had worn off after the week or two of not seeing him again, just training with Ruala and talking to Dyrilæn. Though still not liking the distance, the fire drake was at least happy she could see her partner more often. Supposedly she could speak telepathically to Myndræl, but the ice dragon never reported anything of use. Though, he had mentioned that his partner looked more worn out than he usually did, but Karin had supposed it was just the pressure getting to him and that the ice drake should offer some support to help him through it. They hadn't heard back yet.

Once it was all done, Karin checked the clock. Eight o'clock. Hm, enough time for an hour or so of practice after dinner. As if on cue her sister's voice called her down and she joined the rest of her family. Ichigo looked a little worn out as well as nervous about something and their father was strangely silent.

When it continued for several minutes, Karin finally couldn't take it and heaved a sigh.

"Is something on your mind?" She directed at her brother.

The tall man jumped a bit at her sharp tone before clearing his throat.

"Uh, yeah, actually." He straightened a bit and set aside his nervousness. "I've decided I'm gonna be a real Soul Reaper."

There was silence as they took these words in.

"So…you're not gonna come back here?" Yuzu asked, starting to look a little teary eyed.

"No, I can come back." Ichigo smiled softly at her. "It's just…I won't be 'alive' anymore. Everyone who doesn't know about Soul Reapers will think I'm dead. With everything that's been happening I think I'd be better off becoming a Soul Reaper, a permanent one. The old man agreed to let me be stationed here so I can still visit. After all, Karakura Town is my home, and I promised to protect it."

"It's your choice." Isshin nodded seriously. "It seems like you've thought this through."

"I had to." Ichigo replied. "It's kind of a big leap, and I'll have to think of some way of 'dying'." He smirked as he air quoted to lighten the mood a bit.

"This is a clinic, Ichi, I'm sure we can think of something." Karin shrugged. "And you promised to visit, so it's not that big of a deal."

"You're a Soul Reaper, too." Yuzu turned on her twin who shifted nervously. "Are you going to leave?"

"No, Yuzu, I'm probably too young even by their standards." She rolled her eyes.

"Was that a jab at Toshiro?" Ichigo snickered, laughing fully as the black haired twin grinned evilly. "Well, he was a prodigy; they had to let him in. Still, nice one."

In the Soul King's Realm, Toshiro paused in his reading to sneeze. Confused, he shrugged it off and went back to reading.

"So if you're stationed here, you'll still live here, right?" Yuzu turned back to her brother.

"I probably could." Ichigo shrugged.

"Damn, I wanted your room." Karin pretended to pout.

"Hey!"

Isshin watched in amusement as Ichigo's proposal to, in a sense, 'die' was taken rather well. In fact, the conversation started to turn to how to 'kill' him off in a believable way that didn't hurt the boy's pride or look strange. Yuzu wasn't fond of the conversation at all, but she knew it was just a staged death and that she could still see her brother afterwards.

"So are you kicking a Captain out of their seat or are you still their back-up powerhouse?" Karin teased.

"None of the Captains are leaving." The orange haired man rolled his eyes. "The old man had actually considered me a candidate for Toshiro's place but I wasn't ready to be a full Soul Reaper at the time, and then that new guy swooped in and took it."

"That man is a miracle." Isshin put on a dramatic face. "He can actually get Rangiku to do her work!"

"That is miraculous." Karin nodded. "How?"

"Something about shadows…" Ichigo scratched his head. "Rangiku says he has a shadow-type zanpaktou, haven't seen him use it yet in training. He's actually kind of a loner, doesn't talk to others much."

"Rangiku probably does all the talking."

Now off the dreary subject of Ichigo's soon departure, the dinner became more normal. As in, Kurosaki normal, with over the top dramatics and a couple fights, to which Shimmer snapped unhappily at them. The dragon was starting to get used to the rough Kurosaki atmosphere but she still didn't like to see pain.

Forgetting about the demon spy, Karin left to train, promising to be home at ten o'clock.

As she walked, a figure sat calmly atop the roof of a house, cold eyes of gold watching her move along. The girl turned a corner out of his line of sight and a smirk played on his lips. The shadows enveloped him and it was like the figure had never been there.

* * *

**Mysterious shadows. Gotta love 'em. XD Enjoy!**


	48. Babysitting

"I have to WHAT!?"

Sylfie snickered at the dumbfounded look on the young prince's face.

"Oh, it's not that bad." She assured, pushing him away from his dragon, the two of them having just landed, and towards the house.

"No way! I'm not doing it!" He squirmed out of her grasp and moved out of arm's reach, glaring coldly at his aunt.

"Please?" The green haired woman put on her best puppy dog look. Toshiro thanked his experience with Momo and Rangiku's similar expressions and stood firm.

The Greenleaf Head of House had called him out of the palace and to her home, being very vague about why she wanted his sudden visit. Once there, however, she quickly explained what it was he was doing.

He had to help the woman babysit.

He had to help babysit a bunch of royal brats who grew up in luxury and didn't understand the word 'no' when it was told to them and would probably drive him crazy. Myndræl sympathized and was attempting to even sneak towards his partner and escape when Dimara, the diamond beauty who usually watched over Dragon Isle, showed up and prevented his recovery. Toshiro was effectively trapped.

"If it helps, this could work towards that mark Tranquility." Sylfie pushed, knowing the boy was eager to complete the brand before his father could no longer move. It seemed to perk his interest but he remained adamant. "Come on, Shiro."

"Don't call me Shiro." He immediately snapped.

"Say, do you like candy?" The woman suddenly questioned and he stumbled on an answer.

"Are you trying to bribe me?"

"No, the kids like it."

"I don't hold any fondness for sweet things."

"Hm…" The woman pondered something for a moment and he was sure she'd just tried to bribe him. She seemed to come up with something and Flash Stepped behind him with a devilish grin. "What if I grabbed Karin to come help you?"

Toshiro grimaced. He blamed Sofia for the woman knowing how he felt about the human.

"You want me to do this that badly?" He growled.

"I do." She beamed. "Besides, these kids would feel honored to have the Ice Prince look after them, not to mention their parents would be grateful to you."

"I'm not going to be their babysitter."

"Oh no, they came to me for that. You just came to help because you're such a kind young prince."

"More like you tricked me."

"So will you help?"

"No."

"Oh dear, guess I'll have to grab our dear Fire Princess and bring her here."

"You wouldn't."

The woman, having been walking away, turned back to him with a smirk and noticed with amusement that he had a slight blush accompanying his scowl and icy glare. For a moment she thought he might refuse just so she would bring Karin back, but eventually he gave in with a sigh and headed towards the mansion. He didn't want to take her away from training just to help him babysit.

There were seven kids of various ages inside, running around the large open area where he'd first met Lilianna. Well, almost all of them were running around. There was one sitting up against the wall with his knees tucked up, short hair dark auburn and big eyes green, wearing a richly decorated dark blue kimono. Curious as to why he was on his own and not doing what children his age normally did, Toshiro approached him. Sylfie watched with interest.

"Is something wrong?" He questioned the child.

Startled by the sudden voice, the boy looked up so fast he might have gotten whiplash. In fact, he even fell over.

"U-um." The boy stuttered, cheeks going red with embarrassment.

Toshiro held a hand out to help him up and the child took it cautiously. He knew exactly who it was he was helping him, the Ice Prince himself.

"Why aren't you with the other kids?" Toshiro asked, kneeling down so he was at eye level with the boy. The boy looked away, finding it hard to hold a gaze with such cold teal eyes.

"Um…I'm not very athletic." He murmured. "And I don't know anyone."

"Neither do I." Toshiro looked over the other six children running around. Two of them had paused and were looking at them curiously. They waved as he looked at them and he lifted his hand in a small return wave. Giggling, the two girls went back to playing with the boys. "Actually I was expecting a lot more screaming."

The young royal laughed at that and Toshiro stood.

"If you need anything come see me." He said. "Oh, what's your name?"

"Noah." He said. "My family is part of the Northern European branches."

Nodding to show he heard, Toshiro stayed put while Noah walked out to try and talk to someone.

"See, not so bad." Sylfie teased and the tiny smile on his face was quickly replaced with a scowl.

"That one was okay, the others I'm not sure about." He replied.

"Oh they're all good kids, they've been here before." She put an arm over his shoulders. "They know what they can and can't touch and where not to go, I made sure of that. You just get to know them, one day they might be the head of their family and if they remember how nice you were to them as children they'll back you up."

"So this is a political play?" He quirked an eyebrow at her.

"In the long run it could be, but my goal today was just to get you out of your shell and meet new people." She pushed him forward and his arms flailed a bit as he tried to keep his balance. "They won't bite!"

"Will you stop that!?"

Flashing a smile the woman quickly disappeared inside.

"Honestly." He heaved a sigh and crossed his arms.

'_**You do need to talk to someone.**_' Hyorinmaru pointed out. '_**After weeks of keeping yourself trapped in the library you could use some living contact.**_'

'_Shut up._'

The dragon laughed, worsening the boy's mood.

Since he only knew young Noah, he supposed he should get to know the others as well, but he didn't necessarily want to get in the middle of their fun. They were playing soccer, something he didn't think was common here in the Soul King's Realm. Well, the sport had been around for a long time, he supposed it wasn't that big of a surprise. So, he stood off to the side and simply watched them, reminded of the many times he'd helped Karin and her team with a game.

'_**Again with the daydreaming.**_'

'_I am NOT daydreaming._'

Mood soured again, Toshiro almost missed the ball heading his way. When it had nearly hit him he snapped out of his inner conversation and swiftly caught it. It was out of bounds anyway.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" One of the older boys ran up, blonde hair a mess.

"Don't worry about it, something like that won't hit me." Toshiro tossed it back to him.

"Wanna play?" One of the two girls asked, popping up from behind the older boy with blue eyes wide and a big grin on her face, long brown hair tumbling down in its ponytail. "It would even out the teams."

Toshiro thought about it for a moment. He supposed one game couldn't hurt, and it would keep them occupied, not to mention he could learn their names. That would be important.

"Alright." He moved away from the wall and followed them onto their make-shift field.

They told him where they had assigned their 'goals' and whose team he was on before they began to play once more. They learned quickly that he was rather good at soccer, much better than they were. It was obvious he'd played the sport before and the team he'd been out on silently cheered in victory. His position as the Soul Prince was forgotten momentarily as they continued to play.

When it was over the three kids on his team flocked to him, praising his skill. When one asked him how he'd gotten so good, they saw him pause for a moment.

"I used to play it with the others in the Rukongai."

With that he returned to the wall. Tired out, the children sat in small groups with each other and simply chatted, the youngest ones taking naps. Noah was one of the latter, having made friends with one of the girls and one of the boys, the two of them talking while young Noah slept with his head in the girl's lap.

'_Well, they were definitely not what I was expecting._' Toshiro mused. '_I'd met children of nobles before and they were all brats._'

'_**You weren't an angel yourself as a child.**_' Hyorinmaru snorted.

'_Nobody ever attempted to actually TRY to get to know me except Momo; she was the only one who could tell I was being sarcastic._'

'_**Well, you were rather harsh.**_'

'_People were harsh to me_.'

Hyorinmaru said nothing to that.

Eventually Sylfie returned to check up on them with some candy treats for them and they flocked to her excitedly, grabbing their share. She attempted to give one to the young prince but he refused it. With a pout, she ate it instead.

"You're not that bad with the kids." Sylfie gave a shrug.

"They aren't like the children of the nobles in the Soul Society." Toshiro replied. "They have manners."

"I made sure of that." She winked. "These kids are the nicest of the whole lot, the others I can't stand…though sometimes these guys can get a little out of hand."

"Hopefully I'm not here for that."

Nodding, Sylfie went quiet and continued eating her lollipop, watching the children laugh and play around with each other. The sugar had gotten them moving again.

"Hey Shiro." She suddenly said.

"Don't call me Shiro."

"Have you ever seen a fairy?"

He blanched, completely caught off guard and unable to reply.

"Just curious, I've never seen one." The woman shrugged again.

"You're strange…"

"I think you should go see Karin."

"Wh-I…Stop changing the subject!"

Sylfie snickered at the scowl on his face. She loved doing that. She hadn't found anyone yet that was capable of keeping up with her thoughts.

"But you should." She told him.

He took a moment to go back through the conversation before he was able to answer.

"I planned on going back soon to see who all would be able to train here, where their power would increase faster to the needed level. The Head Captain has yet to give a reply on whether or not he wants to join this fight and I won't take his forces from him before then.

"Yet you planned on going back soon."

"To speak with the Head Captain, yes. I wish to know his opinion on this fight."

She nodded her consent and went back to comfortable silence.

"So you plan on marrying her, right?"

"Will you stop that!?"

The woman laughed as his cheeks turned red and quickly retreated, victorious. He had yet to get the better of her.

Once the children returned home, Toshiro was able to go back to his own room. He looked at his birthmark, watching it glow faintly in the darkening light of the evening with a transparent icy blue color. Only one symbol stood within it and he sighed. Getting the others was harder than he'd first thought.

He tensed, feeling uneasy, like someone was watching him. But it was a faint feeling, and it quickly vanished. Still, it set him on edge and he reached a hand up to the pendant around his neck. It was meant originally to let him keep in contact with Momo, though he still did so occasionally, but now it served as the other end of the bracelet he'd given Karin. He hoped his hunch wasn't right.

If he could feel someone watching him through the connection, then they were truly powerful.

* * *

**Haha, this is what Shiro does while the others train XD Sylfie will occasionally drag him into doing things like this to try and get him out of his shell, and sometimes she's successful ^^ And then there's her habit of changing subjects all of a sudden in the middle of a conversation. One minute you're talking about a fight, the next she wants to know which kind of flower you prefer on a dress XD She's a little scatterbrained.**

**Enjoy!**


	49. The Lord of Fear

The next day, the day after she'd found the demon spy, Karin made her way out of school and straight towards her house. They were going to stage Ichigo's death today so he could start his full time job as a Soul Reaper. Her role was to go shopping with him and Yuzu for groceries before running off after some 'jerk', which would be Kon in a Gigai Kisuke had made to look like every average dude on the street. Ichigo would then run after her, looking frustrated, and therefore not paying attention as a car came by. He'd use his Substitute badge to exit his body right before the hit.

Hopefully it would work, there were so many things that could go wrong, like the car stopping in time before hitting him. They were doing it like this so Yuzu wouldn't actually have to see it, as even knowing it was a fake death the thought still upset her. She had hung out with her elder brother the whole night before.

She set her bag down in her room before heading downstairs. Yuzu was visibly nervous, Shimmer on her shoulder as support.

"Put those acting skills to good use, Yuzu." Karin said, patting her on the back.

"Right." The honey-blonde took a calming breath as she'd been taught and slapped on a happy smile. "Off we go!"

Ichigo sighed, putting a hand in his pocket to make sure his badge was there. All he'd need would be a light tap and he'd be out of his body. He was nervous himself, it was going to be disturbing to say the least to see himself die. But he had to do something. For someone as healthy as him, just dropping dead would look very strange, and he didn't want anyone getting pinned for murder. An accident would have to suffice.

As they walked together towards they store they momentarily forgot about the soon-to-be 'death' they would be staging and acted as they normally did, just siblings hanging together, though with the Kurosaki twist of being rather violent about it, save Yuzu.

A figure passed. Normally this wouldn't have seemed strange to Karin, considering they were constantly passing people, but this figure sent chills up her spine. She turned back, spotting silver hair before they vanished around a corner. Karin was tempted to chase after him, wondering if he might have been that new Captain, Kadin, and to ask why he was here.

"Oi, Karin." Ichigo called out.

Deciding to shrug it off, she caught up to her siblings and headed to the store. Kon should be waiting inside, but she somehow doubted he'd stay in one place for long…too many girls. She was already thinking of a different excuse to use to run out onto the streets with her brother chasing after her.

She felt it again, that strange chill. However it wasn't just her that time. Ichigo tensed and spanned his gaze over the building, the store surprisingly rather barren for this time of day.

"Hollow?" Karin asked in a whisper. Yuzu frowned and stopped with them, Shimmer fidgeting nervously on her shoulder, unseen by the crowd.

"Don't think so." Ichigo scowled as the weird feeling vanished. "Come on, let's keep going."

They walked into the store and Yuzu darted off to one of the aisles, seeming to have completely forgotten about the real reason they were there. Amused, her two siblings walked over to join her. Karin looked for Kon but couldn't spot him, he really did blend in. Either that or he wasn't even there anymore.

She paused as she spotted red hair, wondering if it was Renji. Looking closer she realized it was a fair skinned man with blood red hair to his shoulders, looking only mildly interested in a book he'd picked up. He wore all black, and with summer coming around she thought he would get crazy sweaty in such clothing.

The man looked up, catching her eye with his blood red orbs. The chill raced up her spine as he slowly grinned, fangs gleaming in the fluorescent light.

He wasn't human.

"Ichigo!" She called out, a little panicky. Time to fake deaths later, this guy had to be dealt with.

The man didn't give her a chance, setting the book down and snapping his fingers, the sound echoing sharply in the building.

Then everything turned red.

"Karin!" Dyrilæn snapped to her feet in the Soul Society, startling Renji and Rukia who happened to be nearby. '_Myndræl! Karin's in danger! A lot of it!_'

She heard a growl from the ice dragon's side before it went silent. Her wings flapped madly though she did not take off, simply panicking at the thought of losing her partner.

"What's wrong?!" Rukia questioned over the roaring wind the dragoness was creating.

"Something's happened to Karin!" She whined. "So much darkness!"

The Lieutenants frowned deeply and Flash Stepped to the Senkaimon without further ado.

They were not the only ones in a rush. Dyrilæn's message had been quickly reported to the Ice Prince and to say he was concerned was a vast understatement, having already felt a darkness creeping on him through the pendant. He was quick to track down Ruala.

People moved away from the burning building that had just exploded, the injured being carried out. Yuzu was one of them, managing to escape with minor burns and a few cuts from glass, her dragon flitting about her unseen as she worried for her partner. But she took no notice of her wounds, demanding the firemen find her brother and sister.

In Soul Reaper form, Ichigo let his sister know he was fine, deciding to leave his body in the wreckage as a perfect way to 'kill' him off.

"I'll find Karin as quick as I can, promise." He told her and she nodded tearfully.

He vanished with Flash Step to find the black haired twin.

It was in an alley that she managed to bring herself back to reality, body a little stiff from the blast but otherwise unharmed. She was sure the red-haired man had brought her here, for what purpose she really didn't want to know. Groaning a bit, she brought herself to a standing position and looked around to find her bearings.

"Even trapped in a mortal body you resist the darkness." A silky tone spoke and she froze in place, eyes widening. She couldn't turn around to face the voice. "You have a strong soul, princess."

The owner of the voice came up behind her and she felt his breath as he leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"But even with that gift on your wrist you can't remain unafraid."

Whatever had paralyzed her left and she moved away, turning as she did so.

The man before her watched her in amusement, golden eyes calm and cold, a smirk playing on his lips. His silver hair framed his face, a little black streaked through it on the front, and he had a rather handsome face, skin pale. He looked straight out of the Victorian age, dressed all in black with a thick leathery coat and tall boots, a silver necklace standing out on his chest, the symbol it was shaped into unknown to her.

"Wh-who are you?" Karin demanded, though she found herself stuttering under the man's steady gaze.

He calmly placed his hands behind his back and smiled.

"Why, I thought you would know. You did seem to have a go at me when I had young Star send a spy after you."

"You…You're…You're Dethmaiyn?" She gaped a bit, eyes wide as they could go as she realized she was facing off against the Lord of Fear himself, the man who wanted Toshiro dead so he could become Soul King.

"But of course." She gaped further as he bowed to her, actually bowed. "Shall we walk? This alley is rather dreary for our kind."

"Our kind?" She narrowed her eyes a bit at that.

"Royal blood of course." Kamai smirked. "Though, I suppose your line is no longer royal. The Shiba Clan has fallen quite a bit. I hope you didn't think I was calling you a demon, I'm not so cruel as to do that."

Not seeming to care if she followed or not, Kamai began to walk calmly out of the alley. Karin didn't dare walk alone with him, but staying in the alley wasn't a good idea either. She reached down for her Substitute badge while his back was turned.

It was gone.

"My apologies." Kamai paused and lifted a hand, the badge suddenly in it. "I neglected to mention I had taken this from you. I'd like to talk civil and I can't do that if you're attempting to burn me."

"And how do I know you're not trying to lure me away from everyone?" Karin snapped.

"Away from your spirit friends, yes." Kamai turned, still smirking. "But do not fret, princess, I have no plans to kill you yet, simply talk."

"You're a demon, demons are good liars." Karin crossed her arms.

"Ah, save for me. I'm a rather terrible liar. You see, I cannot lie."

"That's a lie right there."

He chuckled as if amused by her naivety, making her growl.

"It's quite true, I am unable to lie." He put a hand to his chest and bowed slightly. "Everything I speak to you is the absolute truth. I will not harm you today, young human, I only wish to chat."

"About what?"

"Your future, of course." Kamai motioned for her to follow him out of the alley. She did so with great reluctance. "Unfortunately for me, my young enemy, this infamous Ice Prince, is protecting you from my power."

"Duh, you people keep trying to kidnap me." Karin growled, stopping the minute she was out of the alley. Though the street was wider at least, it was still deserted.

"For good reason." Kamai pointed out. "The boy is rather resilient for his age. But I do not think he should take the throne."

"Only because you want it."

"But of course, it was mine by right before he was born." Kamai frowned a bit as he continued. "Someone so young cannot lead the realms. I dread to think what would happen once his dear father dies."

"Toshiro will take the throne and he'll be the best damn Soul King ever." Karin snapped, feeling a little brave.

Those golden eyes looked her right in the eye and all her courage vanished as if it was nothing.

"You are naïve, child." He said softly, putting his hand to her cheek. She could not move away, frozen in place under that golden gaze. "A mere boy can never be the Soul King. Your dear friend Toshiro is better off dead."

"You won't win." She managed to get out, voice shaking.

He chuckled, moving his hand down to her neck.

"It's a shame I must kill you, princess. But for the sake of protecting the world from the mistakes of a growing child, I'm afraid your fire must go out." His grip tightened and she gasped, losing her air.

The bracelet flashed but the man ignored it, continuing to shut off her air with an expression of indifference, no longer smiling. Her vision began to blur.

'_Dammit…where is everyone?_' She panicked. '_Toshiro…_'

The air became deathly cold.

"Let her go!"

The hand removed itself from her neck and metal flashed in front of her line of sight, going for the hand that had just retreated. In the blink of an eye the Lord of Fear was standing several feet away, a malicious grin on his face.

Taking in the much needed air she had just been deprived of, Karin shakily turned to her savior, having fallen to her knees once released from Kamai's spell.

"T-Toshiro!" She exclaimed in surprise.

Though his expression was calm his eyes blazed with fury as he faced the silver haired man that had just attempted to kill her.

"I see you got my message." Kamai chuckled, twisting his hand in front of him and bringing small wisps of darkness to hover above it. Fear.

Karin saw the white haired prince frown slightly but she herself was confused. How could Toshiro have known? Unless…her gaze turned to the bracelet, remembering how it had flashed. It must have warned him she was in danger, of course. He'd told her it could do that.

"What does the Lord of Fear want in the World of the Living?" Toshiro demanded, blade held at the ready. He was careful about how much Spiritual Pressure he released, especially since Karin was in her human state.

"Was that not clear?" Kamai frowned. "You did just separate me from her."

"So you've stopped sending your servants to do the dirty work for you?"

"She did call me out." Now he snickered. "I believe she called me a 'coward hiding in the shadows'."

Karin groaned; those were her words exactly, but how he'd heard them she'd no idea.

"I simply wished to prove I am no coward." Kamai continued. "I did not harm her, as promised."

"You tried to suffocate me!" Karin snapped.

"That was your imagination." One golden eye winked. "Fear is a powerful thing."

"But…" She cut off, looking at the bracelet again.

"Oh that can't block all of it, not all of mine anyway. Though most of it did pass through."

"Pass…through?" Karin turned to Toshiro, the young prince a little tenser than before.

"Feeling a little pressured, Ice Prince?" Kamai held the hand with the wisps of Fear out. Toshiro scowled, wincing as his chest felt tight.

Chuckling, Kamai cast the darkness aside.

"As I said, I won't harm her this day." Kamai donned an emotionless façade, tossing the Substitute badge to Karin who caught it in surprise. "Fare the well, young prince. Your time will come." He made to leave, but paused, smirking. "I did say I wouldn't harm her, but…"

Shadows rose and a familiar figure appeared before them; the man Karin had seen in the store before it had exploded, and the man Toshiro remembered originally casting the Fear into his soul moments after learning of his birthright. Gralio.

"Try not to die, prince." Kamai turned his back. "I want the honor of severing your head from your neck."

Then he was gone and the red-headed demon master grinned evilly.

"Just how much Fear can you take?" Gralio questioned with a hiss to his voice. "Will you scream?"

"Bastard." Toshiro growled, lifting Hyorinmaru up a little higher.

Karin took her chance to remove herself from her body, moving it to the side before standing next to the Ice Prince once more. She had a lot to talk to him about, like how she'd come to realize he received the Fear others tried to cast on her, putting himself in harm's way, something the enemy no doubt counted on.

"Leave it on." Toshiro snapped as she reached for the bracelet to take it off.

"Like Hell, the Fear goes to you." Karin growled back. "You should have told me that earlier."

"I knew how you would react." With Gralio simply watching with a somewhat amused yet somewhat bored expression, Toshiro turned to look at her. "I didn't want you to take it off."

"Well I'm not gonna let you suffer through it alone." She slipped off the bracelet. "I can fight it too."

"Are you finished?" Gralio tilted his head. "I've wanted to settle this for a while, boy."

"As have I." Toshiro glared his way letting his Spiritual Pressure rise now that Karin was in Soul Reaper form. Ice formed quickly on the ground and a wind stirred in the air.

With a maniacal chuckle, Gralio lifted his hand up and shadows surrounded them, blocking them from the World of the Living, moments before Ichigo, Rukia and Renji could make it there. They attempted to breach it but to no avail.

"In here we have no restraints, prince." Gralio snickered, gesturing to the blackness surrounding them. "Well, I suppose you do if you don't want to flatten that pretty girl."

"She can handle a little pressure." The Ice Prince replied easily. Karin looked at him in surprise for a moment before smirking and unsheathing her blade, standing beside him with confidence and withstanding the icy pressure around her. It felt natural, side by side with him in this fight.

"Good, otherwise this wouldn't be fun." Gralio flicked his wrist and a twisted blade of shadows came to the call. "When we first met you could hardly move in my presence. How much have you improved since then?"

"That's a matter of opinion I suppose."

"Allow me to make mine then!" The man leaped forward, blackness following him and becoming sharp blades to assist.

Teal eyes hardened as he prepared for a tough fight.

* * *

**So the big bad boss shows up! Opinion? Oh, and it's true, he can't lie. He's really good with wordplay. But there is a weakness to this, I wonder if anyone can figure it out. After all, not being able to lie is a tricky business, there's gonna be some complications :)**

**Anyway, time to get back at Gralio! Enjoy!**


	50. Conviction of the Ice Dragon

Toshiro moved quickly, tapping the tip of his zanpaktou to the ground before swinging upwards to form an ice shield.

"You have Shikai, yes?" Toshiro questioned Karin casually as though he was asking for the time, the sound of shadows spearing the ice thunderous.

"Of course I do!" Karin bristled.

"I suggest using it."

He turned away and broke the ice shield once the barrage of shadows had stopped, leaping through the shards and clashing blades with the red-head.

"Smart-ass." She spat. "Rage through the Land, Homuratei!"

Her katana formed into a rapier and the cold lifted some as her fiery power started to counter it. Toshiro put her at Third Seat level at the least. She was growing fast.

"Fire and Ice?" Gralio seemed mildly interested. "What a combination."

"I've got more than fire!" Karin snapped, swinging her rapier around her and creating a whirlwind of flames. "_Blazing Twister!_"

She sent the fiery tornado at him, Toshiro moving quickly out of the way, but he didn't seem all that impressed. He lifted the shadows up and had them spin the opposite direction, clashing with her attack and nullifying it.

"What?" Karin looked startled, not thinking that was possible.

"Try again." Gralio sneered.

Scowling fiercely, Karin Flash Stepped forward and struck at him with her blade. He blocked easily, not putting as much effort in as he had with Toshiro. She tried again and again, but he so easily blocked each one he looked almost bored.

Gralio snapped to alertness as a different blade came his way, dodging Karin's to instead block that one. He had the shadows form over it to trap Toshiro in but they froze over and snapped away as the boy pulled back for another strike. At the same time, Karin went for a strike at his back. They had him trapped, and knowing this Gralio flicked his free hand upwards. He vanished in shadow and the Reapers blades clashed. For a moment Karin could feel just how much strength was in Toshiro's strikes, her hands stinging as she held her grip on the blade, before he pulled his blade back and searched for their demonic opponent.

"I see the darkness in your heart, boy." Gralio's hissing voice echoed around them. "How fare the nightmares?"

The young Substitute turned to her partner with some concern, noticing a tightness to his jaw that meant he did not like the question being asked.

"A demon's fun is another's torture. Shall you be my fun?"

"You act like a demon yet you're not." Toshiro called out into the darkness. "However much you want to be one, you can never reach that goal." Silence. He'd hit a nerve. "I'm sure Dethmaiyn promised you something but if I know anything about people like him it's that he's a fake, and will give you nothing."

"Oh, the Dark Master will keep his word." The shadows shifted as Gralio returned. "Any promise he makes is fulfilled. He has given me the powers of a demon as he had promised, but until I bring him you I cannot become a full demon. Lies do not leave his lips."

"Dethmaiyn was saying something like that." Karin told him quietly and Toshiro frowned. What kind of person couldn't lie?

The two of them held their blades at the ready as Gralio brought the shadows to him and cast them outwards. Toshiro once more brought up the ice shield to prevent the shadows from reaching them.

They went right through.

'_What!?_' Stunned, he couldn't move away from the shadows as they latched onto him.

Pain shot through his body as the Fear took hold, the darkness twisting into horrible shapes around him and fire burning in his veins. As quick as he could he stamped it down, turning worriedly to Karin. She had no experience fending off the darkness.

The girl's eyes were wide with fright, mouth open as if to shout. Her hands shook as she dropped her zanpaktou, horrors he couldn't see haunting her vision and preventing her from seeing reality. There was no way she could fight through it as he had, no way she would even know how. Her whole body shook and she looked ready to cry, making Toshiro scowl angrily.

"Reign over the Frosted Heavens," His voice seemed to snap Karin out of her trance and she blinked a few times, "Hyorinmaru!"

The difference in power between the Shikai she'd seen before and this one was immediate as his Spiritual Pressure pushed her to the ground and made her shiver with cold.

'_**Raise yours as high as you can!**_' Homuratei demanded and her master obliged, the heat managing to protect her from the Ice Prince's freezing rage.

A crystalline ice dragon shot forward from his blade towards Gralio. The man growled and cast out more shadows, shattering the dragon only for it to reform, made mostly of energy. This startled Gralio and he hardly had time to dodge.

But instead of moving further away, he appeared next to Toshiro with a smirk, blade going for the throat.

Metal hitting metal echoed sharply as the young prince managed to block the blade and push it away, clashing blades with the being of darkness and drawing him away from Karin. He attempted to catch the man in the chain-blade but only succeeded in latching onto his arm. He pulled the chain tight, keeping him in place.

"Where are you demons hiding?" Toshiro questioned now that he had the man trapped.

Gralio gave a barking laugh.

"You think I'm just going to tell you that!?" Gralio let the shadows crawl up his body. "A little ice isn't going to make me talk."

Faster than the prince could pull the shadows converged on the ice and broke it apart, freeing the man from losing an arm and forcing the chain-blade off. Toshiro brought it back to him and scowled.

"Not that I'd say anything anyway." Gralio vanished into shadows again.

Karin stood again, still a little shaken up and tried to find him. Since sight was clearly not to be trusted here, Toshiro instead closed his eyes and attempted to pinpoint Gralio's next arrival point. He could sense the shadows shifting around them, trapping them in one continuous loop of darkness, just like the field he'd trained on in the Five Trials to control his Spiritual Pressure.

"Can you fight me and protect another?" That hissing voice sneered.

Toshiro quickly changed position, now standing back-to-back with Karin, not wanting to give the man a chance to get her in the back. Hopefully she was fast enough if he came at her from the shadows. He could feel her shaking slightly at his back and frowned, worried.

Karin saw red and lifted her zanpaktou just in time to block that horrid black blade. She was pushed up against the Ice Prince behind her from the force.

Toshiro turned, putting an arm around her to keep her steady while stabbing at the demonic shadow master with his longer blade. He felt flesh give beneath his sword and saw Gralio scowl as he returned to the shadows, releasing Karin from the pressure of his blade. They'd finally managed to wound him.

"He's strong." Karin growled, readjusting her grip on her rapier. Toshiro removed his arm from her and went back to searching for Gralio by his Spiritual Pressure.

This time the demon man came at Toshiro, their blades clashing harshly. While the white haired prince was distracted by his blade, Gralio brought up the shadows to spear him. Seeing these black blades, Karin moved quickly to break them. But there were many and she could not destroy them all, not even when she released a wave of fire upon them. However, her attack brought the spears to Toshiro's attention and he forced Gralio back to block the stray ones from reaching him.

One broke through his defense, creating a deep gash in his left arm. It hurt terribly but he didn't let it break his focus, freezing the wound over so as not to bleed out despite the numbness it brought to his arm.

"I win."

Teal eyes widened, not wanting to know what he meant by that.

As he turned around to check on Karin, he saw she was trapped in shadows, Gralio holding onto her shoulders. She looked furious and struggled to break free, but there was a desperation to her movement that also hinted at fear. This wasn't a vision; he had the Fear firmly stamped down.

"Your move, Ice Prince." Gralio sneered, tightening his hold. Karin flinched as his sharp nails began to pierce her skin.

Toshiro's grip on his blade tightened, a scowl crossing his face, before he lowered his blade. If looks could kill the glare he sent at Gralio would have made him drop dead right there.

"Hehe, so easy." The red-head smirked widely, looking smug. "Shall we play a game? Who will give in first?"

The shadows acting as a gag moved away from Karin's mouth. She opened it to spit profanities back at the demon, and maybe a few at Toshiro for giving in so easily, when she felt claws dig into her shoulders. Instead of swear words, a scream came from her mouth.

"Stop it!" Toshiro snarled.

Laughing madly, Gralio stopped for a brief moment to gloat. Karin let her head fall, shaken up by the immense pain that had just burned through her body. At the sight, the Ice Prince snapped.

Gralio lost sight of the white haired boy and frowned, wondering how he'd escaped his senses.

"Bankai." Startled, Gralio turned to see Toshiro behind him just before ice-water exploded outwards.

Using the shadows to escape, Gralio left the girl behind and moved away from the frozen area, cursing himself for letting his guard down. Had the prince been holding back still? Scowling, Gralio looked back to where his target was.

Feeling very pressured at the moment, Karin had a hard time staying conscious, though she did notice someone was holding her, someone with very cold arms. She managed to look up at Toshiro, noticing a calm expression that contrasted the fury in his eyes. His ice wings were spread out behind him as he hovered above the ground.

"Hmph, considering the amount of power you're displaying I'm surprised you haven't snuffed her life out yet." Gralio teased, hoping to snare the prince into making a mistake.

"I'm focusing my Spiritual Pressure away from her." Toshiro replied.

He gently set Karin down but did not move from her side, his blade in hand.

"I had hoped to avoid using Bankai." He continued, standing. "But thankfully your shadow world keeps it from doing any damage to the World of the Living."

"Don't get cocky, brat." Gralio lifted his hands and the shadow world itself shifted around them, forming into twisted figures. These shadow beasts approached them, Karin shakily reaching for her zanpaktou despite how hard it was to move.

"_Frozen Prairie._" Toshiro moved the tip of his zanpaktou along the ground around him.

The black ground glowed icy white as his Spirit Energy coated it before freezing over and shooting upwards into vicious spikes. Those shadows not speared in the crystalline ice were frozen to the spot by the overwhelming cold and shattered by the force of his Spiritual Pressure. The only part not frozen was a circle around the creator of the ice and the person he wanted to protect.

Gralio scowled at this display, not having heard of such a move. They had looked into his powers and abilities so as to better defend against him if he got strong, finding what his weak points were for each attack. But this attack they did not know.

"Since you won't talk I should remove you from this realm." Toshiro's voice had a deadly tone to it.

"Oh I'm not done yet!" The red-head snarled, skin turning black in spots and eyes lighting up with an evil flame of malice. The already long claws extended and as he grinned his fangs were prominent. The demon was showing through. "Don't worry prince, you won't die, but I'll give you a good beating!"

Multiple black blades hovered behind him and shot forwards towards the pair. Calm as ever to control the flow of his power, Toshiro lifted the blade upright and put his left hand over his right, the sword becoming coated in frost.

'_What's he doing?_' Karin wondered.

The blades were coming closer. Toshiro tossed up his own and caught it backwards in his other hand before stabbing it into the ground.

"_Glacial Dragon Breath._"

A wave of white light shot forward from the point of impact, scouring the blackened ground and freezing the air it touched before shattering into deadly ice shards. The shadow blades were swept away by this torrent of frozen light, shattering like the rest to join the gathering ice.

A little panicky now, Gralio used a wall of shadows to stop the attack from reaching him. He smirked in victory, thinking he'd avoided the rather brutal looking attack and preparing to leap at the prince. He jumped into the air, a maniacal grin on his face.

"_Glacial Dragon Breath: Shattered Roar._"

The ice shards that still lingered in the air flipped around and came rocketing towards the airborne shadow master.

"Impossible!" Gralio screeched.

His cries of pain echoed in the darkness as countless shards of ice pierced flesh and bone. Soon they stopped and a body hit the ground. Gralio lit up in black flames and quickly disintegrated, just like the demon Karin had killed. She watched their opponent disappear with slight awe, having watched the entirety of the attack. Ichigo had never mentioned an attack like it.

She heard ice shatter and turned to look up at Toshiro, his Spiritual Pressure lightening up as he toned it back down with the removal of his Bankai.

"Are you alright?" He asked her, kneeling next to her.

"Y…Yeah." She nodded, still a little star struck.

He turned to the wounds on her shoulders, holding his hand up to one of them and performing Healing Kido. This seemed to bring her out of her trance and she noticed the frozen gash on the arm he held up.

"These are just scratches; you should get Dad to look at that." She told him, pushing his hand aside and pointing to the wound she had spotted.

"As long as it's frozen I'll be fine, I can wait." He replied. "I need to find Nakryin to get the Fear out of you."

"And you."

He gave a light sigh at her attempts to make him the worse off victim when clearly she was having trouble focusing on reality and bleeding a little too much from the stab points on her shoulders. Before she could protest he picked her up bridal style, further proving his arm was fine with the ice on it, and attempted to search for a way out of the darkness. He had thought it would disappear with the death of Gralio.

"I can walk." He heard her growl and looked down at her.

"I think you'll find you can't." He replied.

"Won't know until I try."

"I'd rather not risk it."

Attempting to lighten the mood, and not liking that saddened look on his face, she smirked.

"What's with that face? You almost look worried about me."

"Because I am." His tone was soft and wiped the smirk right off her face.

He found the weak spot with which to break away the world of shadows and sent an energy dragon rocketing towards it, not looking her way at the moment. Just as well, she looked stunned and was blushing ever so slightly. It was the first time he'd sounded so…weak. Perhaps that wasn't the right word, but it was the only thing she could come up with. He'd shown his vulnerable side to her, if just for a moment.

She had no more time to dwell on it as the shadows dispersed and her brother's concerned cry of her name reached her ears.

* * *

**Not the best at writing battles...I never make them long enough...anyway, Gralio's dead now, one less creepy demon guy after them. And a little fluff at the end ^^ Enjoy!**


	51. The Fire Princess Returns

Ichigo jumped to his feet as the shadows flickered. He and the others had been sitting there for a while, trying to figure out how to get rid of the shadows. Ruala was there as well, back to them and watching the shadows silently as if she was a statue. Now that they were dispersing she shifted position, halfway turning back to them.

"Did she win?" Rukia questioned with some concern, knowing Karin had been trapped in there with a demon of some sort.

Their answer was to see the black haired teen in the arms of the Soul Prince.

"Karin!" Ichigo shoved aside his curiosity at his presence to instead Flash Step forward and check on his sister, the girl bleeding from wounds on her shoulders and looking a little spooked by something.

"Hey Ichi." Karin smirked weakly, distracted by something they didn't know. "Yuzu okay? She didn't get caught in the explosion did she?"

Ichigo let out a sigh of relief.

"She's fine, Karin, just a few scrapes. Come on, let's get you back to the clinic so Dad can look at those punctures."

"Ah, come on, they're not that bad."

"Karin, you're bleeding pretty badly." Renji pointed out.

She looked at them.

"Oh, right."

Toshiro rolled his eyes before turning to head towards the clinic.

"Hey, don't leave when you drop me off." Karin frowned up at him. "You're wounded too."

"I told you, I'm fine." He sighed.

"What exactly happened?" Rukia questioned the prince.

"I'll explain at the clinic." He promised before darting off, keeping his Flash Step average so they didn't get left behind.

Isshin let them in quickly, only raising an eyebrow briefly at Toshiro's presence, before turning to his daughter. Yuzu practically bear hugged her, glad her twin was okay, Shimmer darting around happily at the reunion. The dragon eventually settled on Toshiro's shoulder, greeting him fondly.

Karin explained first, starting with their trip to the store to fake Ichigo's death, which was news to Toshiro, and how Gralio had caused an explosion. Ichigo cut in to tell them he'd let the explosion take care of the death part before running off to find Karin. When the teen told them how Kamai himself had shown up, they all grew pale and looked very worried.

"He just talked to me, promise." She remedied quickly. "I…kind of insulted him."

"You insulted the leader of the demons himself?" Renji gaped a little.

"Well, not to his face." Karin attempted to avoid the subject. She flinched a bit as Isshin put some antibiotic on the wounds. "There was this demon spy, which I killed, and I kind of called Dethmaiyn a coward to him."

Ichigo groaned.

"You should be more careful." Toshiro warned. "I have a feeling he knows what his demons know."

"Well I know that now." She snapped back at him. Her eyes locked with his for a moment and she remembered his words after the fight with Gralio, quickly looking away again. "Anyway, he promised not to hurt me, today anyway, but had that demon guy fight us instead. Toshiro had showed up by that point and managed to kill him."

"How did you get these, then?" Isshin questioned, gently touching the puncture wounds now wrapped up in bandages.

"Oh…well, he got behind me at one point using the shadows and his nails were more like claws."

It was then Toshiro turned to Ruala.

"He injected Fear into her." He said and the girl moved from the corner over to the teen, placing a hand over her forehead.

"Whoa, what are you doing?" Karin frowned, moving away from the hand.

"Nakryin is the only one capable of removing their magic, a dark magic called Fear." Hitsugaya replied, more for everyone else's sake than Karin's considering she knew. "He didn't inject much of it so she should be able to remove it all before it latches on too tightly."

"What happens if she can't?" Ichigo asked him, concerned. As he said this, his sister let Ruala cast the light into her, helping her feel immensely better.

He got no answer, only making the orange haired man more nervous. Shimmer gave a comforting purr to the young prince, able to sense his pain and sadness. Thanking her with a scratch under the chin, Toshiro instead turned to Isshin.

"If Dethmaiyn himself felt the need to confront her it's safe to say this realm is no longer safe for her."

The room got quiet. Breaking it with a sigh, Isshin looked at the young prince skeptically, getting a cool stare back.

"You're right, these demons have been causing a lot of problems for Karin." He started. "But I was under the impression no one was to go to your realm."

"Hey, you can't just take my sister and vanish." Ichigo grumbled.

"If you'll let me explain." Toshiro snapped. "I was waiting for the Head Captain to decide whether or not he wanted to take part in this war considering Dethmaiyn will take my connection to it as a weakness, just like he's been targeting your family here. If he can hurry up and go along with it I was perfectly willing to bring those strong enough to the Soul King's Realm to train, as your Spirit Energy will increase faster there under the guidance of the Royal Guards."

"Oh…" Ichigo relaxed a bit.

"I think the Head Captain is close to a decision." Rukia reported. "He's calling in a meeting for tomorrow, hopefully he's giving us an answer."

Toshiro nodded to show he'd heard. His attention was caught as Ruala finished and moved aside.

"Wow, that's way better." Karin stretched her arms out. "That Fear stuff is like an internal weight."

"Fortunately Nakryin got rid of it all." The young prince said, a ghost of a smirk on his lips.

"So, I get an early pass to train in the king's realm, eh?"

"Essentially, yes. I would assume Dethmaiyn will only to continue to send higher and higher level demons and their masters after you, so it's best we prevent them from reaching you."

"But when can she come back?" Yuzu frowned, sitting next to her twin now that their father was done.

Toshiro opened his mouth to answer before closing it again, unable to. The honey-blonde frowned a bit but seemed to come to term with the dangers of her staying and simply gave Karin a tight hug.

"Don't think about leaving yet." Isshin said, latching onto the boy's injured arm. "You may have stopped the bleeding but I best see to it before it gets infected."

"I'm fine, seriously." Toshiro frowned at him. "I can see to it later."

But with a smirk in place the elder Kurosaki held firm and the young prince reluctantly gave in. He'd only make it worse if he resisted. So, removing the ice, he let his former Captain set to work cleaning and bandaging the wound which was actually worse than he'd first thought, numbed by the coldness of the ice.

"He must have been strong if he could do that to you." Renji noted.

"He was." The young prince nodded. "But he wasn't an elite. Compared to the power I sensed in the Demon Lords he could be considered average."

"These demons truly are on another level." Rukia frowned. "The Head Captain has to agree to fight, we'll be sitting ducks to Dethmaiyn's forces if he doesn't."

The others all nodded in agreement to the Lieutenant's words.

Once Isshin was satisfied with the bandages on the Ice Prince, Toshiro stood and headed outside with Ruala, Karin following a little slower as she was unsure how long it would be before she could see her family again.

"I'll see you soon." Ichigo promised, ruffling her hair. Despite her being seventeen he still treated her like she was ten, which she rarely liked.

"Yeah, yeah." She waved him off. "By then I'll be as strong as you are."

He quirked an eyebrow at her but said no more.

Yuzu gave her one last tight hug before grabbing Shimmer off of Toshiro's shoulder and shooing away her dad as the man struck one of his dramatic poses, crying out that his daughter was all grown up and already moving out, to which both Ichigo and Karin replied that she wasn't doing the latter.

"Let's go before I punch him in the face." Karin grumbled, stepping over to Toshiro and Ruala, Isshin replying with a dramatic cry of how his children were cruel to him when he tried so hard to raise them right.

Ruala giggled slightly before holding her hand out for the girl to grab onto. Karin did so, seeing Sofia jump up onto Toshiro's shoulder, before they were all teleported back to the Soul King's Realm.

"Ha! Soon we'll be married into royalty!" Isshin shouted joyously as he went back inside.

"Married?" Ichigo turned to him, startled. "Whoa, wait. What are you getting at Goat Chin?"

Following after the boys as they went inside and argued Karin's fate, Yuzu giggled, petting Shimmer.

In the Soul King's Realm, Karin found herself back in the inside garden that she'd been told was the current Soul King's floor. At least it was familiar.

"Isn't Dyrilæn still in Soul Society?" Karin asked, the dragoness popping into her mind as her gaze flashed over Dragon Isle.

"Once Nakryin is rested she can go and get her." Toshiro promised, watching said guardian walk away with a slight drowsiness to her step. "I need to speak with my father."

"Okay, I'll explore." Karin smirked, looking around to where she wanted to go first.

"Try to stay on this floor, I memorized the layout. I might not be able to find you if you get lost on a different floor."

"I'll keep that in mind."

The young prince started heading off towards his father's room when he paused, something else coming to mind.

"Karin," He looked over his shoulder, seeing her turn back to him with a confused expression, "how about you come with me?"

"To meet your dad?" She blinked in surprise. He nodded. "Um…okay…" '_Holy shit, I get to meet the Soul King!'_

'_**You can't possibly be that surprised, considering your friends with his son.**_' Homuratei snickered.

'_Yeah, but this guy is KING. That's a whole different level._' Karin quickly followed after Toshiro, a little excited now.

'_**To be honest I think you should be nervous, considering you have a crush on his son.**_'

'_Oh it's not like he'll notice that…_'

'_**Oh you ended with '…', you're totally nervous.**_'

'_Shut up you._'

In front of her, Toshiro slid the door opened and motioned for her to wait was he walked over to a taller man standing at the balcony railing. She could see the resemblance between them, both with snow white hair, though his father's was longer, and eyes of blue-green, despite how the Soul King's eyes were not a complete mix of the two as Toshiro's was, mesmerizing her. The two spoke for a few minutes, apparently about something very serious, before the younger turned to her and motioned her to come inside.

Nervously, she did so.

* * *

**So Karin gets an early invite to the Soul King's Realm, again, and this time she's staying for a while ;) Alone. With Toshiro. Hehe. But first she must meet his father. Enjoy!**


	52. Confessions

Seeing as the man before her, standing ever so calmly with a somewhat sickly pallor by her friend, was the ruler of all three realms and possibly the strongest being in existence, Karin felt it was right to bow to him and did so, nervous under his gaze.

"A friend of my son's has no need to bow." She heard the man chuckle.

"Uh…okay…" She shifted nervously.

"You stare down a Kuchiki head but you're nervous around my father." Toshiro noted with some amusement.

"Well yeah, he's king." She hissed back. Satoru laughed.

"I suppose that's quite a difference. Most are rather uncomfortable in my presence until they get to know me." He put a hand on Toshiro's shoulder. "I've been told you'll be staying here a while, Miss Kurosaki."

"Er, yes, I am." The girl nodded. "Hopefully I can get some training in so I can fight the next demon that comes my way."

"I wish you the best of luck." Satoru's expression became a little more serious as he said this. "Toshiro told me about what happened with Gralio, I am sorry you had to go through such a thing, both of you."

"In the end we defeated him and we weren't that badly hurt." Toshiro replied. "Karin was able to receive medical treatment right away and Nakryin removed the Fear."

"Good." Satoru nodded. "Now, I suppose she'll be needing a proper tour." He pushed his son lightly towards the girl, earning him a scowl. "Move along, you two, I've been procrastinating long enough anyway."

"Are you sure you don't want help?" His son glanced at the papers stacked on the desk.

"I'll be fine, son, and you have a lovely young lady to see too." Satoru did not miss the slight pink tinge on both of them as he said this. "Now go."

With his father so adamant about them leaving together, Toshiro obliged and left with Karin in tow.

Once they were gone, Satoru frowned, a figure approaching him from the shadows, unseen by the young ones.

"How long?" He questioned her.

"Two months at the least, three at most." Ruala whispered sadly, head bowed.

"Can he make it?"

"I believe so…and I think that girl can help him."

"Then perhaps I should thank Kamai for sending Gralio after them, as it has brought them together." The Soul King sighed and moved to his bed, feeling exhausted. "I only hope it lasts."

Back in the main room, Toshiro leaned up against the balcony railing, looking outward across the sky. He could see a dragon fly away from Dragon Isle and into lands unknown even to him and many of the people who lived here, lands protected by ancient magic to prevent anything human, alive or dead, from breaching. Lands ruled by the wild. Karin stood quietly next to him, trying to wrap her mind around the fact that she had just met the Soul King, albeit only briefly. He had seemed so nice.

She glanced at Toshiro, frowning a bit as she realized her friend was about to lose his father, a person he really needed in his life and had only known briefly. She wondered what kind of person Toshiro would have been had he grown up under his father's guidance instead of in the Soul Society. Not anyone she would have known, that's for sure, as he never would have left the realm. Still, he probably would have been happier.

'_**Now's your chance to ask him all those questions.**_' Homuratei reminded.

"Hey Toshiro." Karin spoke up.

"Apparently no one is supposed to call me by my name here except the Royal Guards…and my father, of course." He replied quickly.

"Well I'm going to." She snapped. "Feels weird to call you Prince anyway."

"I thought as much, but you might get some disapproving looks."

"Yeah, whatever. Anyway, I wanted to ask about some things."

He turned to look at her and waited patiently for her questions.

"What exactly do you do as Soul King? I mean, I know you're not king yet, but you must have some idea."

"I know all about what I need to do as king. I'm already performing some of those tasks that my father can't. I have to keep in touch with the commanders of the different branches of Soul Society around the world, which was a bit of a culture shock for me, as well as keep the Royal Families here under watch, as not everyone is friends with one another." He sighed. "It's a lot more political work than when I was a Captain."

"Miss the fighting?" She smirked.

"Not particularly." He leaned back a bit and she glanced at the bandaged wound on his arm now visible as the sleeves shifted. "I was able to be on the move more at least as a Captain, I miss the freedom."

"I know I would." Karin nodded her agreement. "How's your arm?"

He gave her an exasperated glance.

"Honestly, I'm fine. I heal faster than even the other Captains with my high level of Spirit Energy. It won't look as bad as it did in the clinic, though even with how fast I heal I'm going to leave the bandage on a little longer just in case." He turned to her skeptically. "And you?"

"Eh? These are nothing!" She stretched her arms and rolled her shoulders.

One white brow rising in doubt, Toshiro reached over and brushed his hand over where the scars were hidden under her Shihakusho. She hissed and moved away, scowling.

"That reaction says otherwise." He frowned.

There was that concerned look again, making her shift nervously when he didn't turn away or hide it under an icy façade.

"Okay, so it's a little sensitive." She huffed. "Once I'm as strong as you are I won't have to worry about little scratches like these, and neither will you."

"I'll always worry."

Confused, she tilted her head, watching as he turned away finally and stared off into the distance, mind elsewhere.

"What, you don't think I can get that strong?" She poked him on the arm to bring his attention back to her.

"There's no telling with you Kurosakis." He replied, smirking slightly but not looking at her.

'_**Will you stop dodging the question you really want to ask him?**_' Homuratei gave an exasperated sigh. '_**I mean come on, that was practically his confession right there, that he'll always worry about you.**_'

'_No it's not! Just hush._'

"Okay, other questions." Karin mused, trying to get her zanpaktou to leave her alone. "Dyrilæn told me you were shut up in your room all day. Do you seriously not get out any?"

He cast her a glare, which she replied to with a sly grin, and sighed.

"I've met with many of the other Royal Families so I have been out, just not for anything you would consider interesting."

"Anyone trying to push their daughter onto you?"

"Oh yes, of course, but I manage to pull the excuse that I'm still too young to consider it." He scowled as he said this. "All these nobles care about is status."

"You're a noble."

"But I was raised in the Rukongai. Many of the things these people have had since they were babies I never had until I became a Captain. Because of that I think differently than they do, which seems to put them off a bit. Sadly they still try."

"Not even one girl good enough for you?" Karin was teasing but she felt as if she continued down this road to confirm something and was now terrified to hear the answer.

"Only one has ever caught my eye." He said quietly, before moving away from the railing and further inside. "But she's not here often."

She frowned, wondering what he meant. One of the royal girls was off on business a lot, perhaps? A faint hope arose that maybe he meant her. She decided to pursue it, determined to get a straight answer out of him and figure out whether or not she should start looking elsewhere, since as long as he was a possibility no one else had looked interesting and it was starting to make her mortal life difficult as her friends poked fun at her lack of a boyfriend.

"You are the Soul Prince, can't you do something to bring her around more often?" She ventured carefully, following him.

"Being a prince means nothing if she's too stubborn to actually consider me one."

"Stubborn, huh? I didn't think royal girls would be stubborn, usually they're submissive."

"This one is most definitely stubborn." His refusal to turn around and look at her was starting to bug her. "And she's not really a royal."

'_**This is entertaining, watching you play Twenty Questions.**_' Homuratei snickered. Hyorinmaru had teased his master but now watched carefully at their interactions, knowing this was the best way for Toshiro to say anything, as an outright confession could end badly for him.

"So not any of the daughters pushed onto you caught your eye?" Karin continued.

"No." Came the short reply. He didn't seem to take offense to her pressing him on his love interest.

"Hm…" She noticed they were heading to the library again, one of the few rooms she knew about here. "How about a description?"

"You seem oddly interested about this." Still he did not look back, passing by the library. She wondered where he was heading, then.

"Because I can tease you mercilessly about it." She smirked, though obviously he couldn't see. "The unemotional Ice Prince actually has a crush on someone."

"I'm not unemotional." Now he turned back, the tiniest of pouts on his face.

She quirked an eyebrow at him as if to say 'are you serious?'

"…well…apparently I am…" Frowning, he turned away and continued on. "But you wouldn't be teasing me if you knew who it was."

"Then why won't you just tell me if you want me to stop?"

He paused, hand on a door to a room she had no knowledge of, but did not answer.

'_**You've skirted around her questions long enough.**_' Hyorinmaru stated.

His master inwardly sighed. How could anyone do this? It was more torturous than fighting Arrancar!

"Karin…what do you think of me?"

The question threw her for a loop and she fumbled for an answer, trying to find an honest answer for him. It was such an open ended question so she could really say anything but she thought about what to say.

"Well, you're kind of a brat sometimes, but you take care of your friends." She said with as much conviction as she could. "For someone who gets as much crap as you do you're a pretty nice guy about it…usually."

"Usually, hm?" He turned back to her, more amused than offended.

"And you're still kind of short." She added on just to spite him and the amusement faded quickly.

"I am not! And you're shorter than me!" To prove this he moved away from the door and closer to her, his height of four foot eleven topping her four foot nine.

His frustration at her comment faded a little as he realized how close he'd stepped. She didn't seem to pay this any attention, still gloating over getting him worked up.

"You're so easy." She snickered, poking him in the chest and making him step back one. "Anyway, why the weird question? Ooh, I should ask the same thing. What does the fantastic Ice Prince think of li'l ole me?" As she said the last part she used dramatic hand movements.

"Stop that." He grumbled. "You look like your dad when you do that."

She quickly stopped.

"Well, don't I get an answer?" She demanded instead. "I gave you one."

Silence stretched on as he thought about it, his eyes blanking a bit as he focused on his thoughts, Hyorinmaru probably joining in the inner conversation.

"You're the most stubborn person I know, including your brother, and you drive me crazy." He finally said and she frowned. "But you're loyal to your friends, even me, and I admire your courage to fight through anything for them. You don't care about what people look like and I respect that. And despite how short you are," He allowed himself a smirk as she growled, "you've managed to catch my interest."

"Your…interest?" She blinked in surprise, attempting to calm her racing heart.

"As I said, only one girl has managed to catch my eye." He gifted her a rare smile that nearly made her melt before turning away and walking into the room.

For some time she just stood there, dumbstruck, mouth open, eyes wide. Two of the most impossible things she'd ever thought would happen to her had just happened. For one, that smile had been genuine, and probably one of the cutest things she'd ever seen, and it was one she had NEVER seen a guy like Toshiro make.

And another, she was pretty damn sure that he had just confessed his feelings for her.

'_**Damn, that was smooth.**_' Homuratei noted with interest. '_**The longer you stand there catching flies the more upset he'll get. Your turn!**_'

Karin could almost feel her zanpaktou pushing her towards the door and could have sworn she took a few steps unwillingly forward as well.

'_Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait! Just-Wait…How am I supposed to reply to THAT! I mean…goodness I just froze right up! I went completely brain dead!_'

'_**Yeah, I noticed.**_' The being cloaked in fire took over part of her vision so the girl could see her. '_**Now stop gawking and go get him! You're a Kurosaki, for crying out loud!**_'

'_In case you haven't noticed the one thing we're terrible at is anything concerning romance._' As she said this, though, she gathered her scattered courage and, with a deep breath, stepped in after her crush.

The room looked to be a training room, littered with obstacles that turned the field into a maze. Perfect, now she had to find the damn guy. Some game of his? There was no one else here, it seemed, save for a small white fox resting peacefully atop a pile of folded uniforms, paws tucked underneath. She did not think it could possibly be Sofia, the familiar having been keeping a careful eye on the Ice Prince to make sure the Fear didn't cause any more trouble, and walked on through.

Toshiro noticed her step inside and lifted his head, wondering why she hadn't seen him. After his slip of the tongue he'd walked inside quickly to calm his nerves and racing heart, worried what kind of reaction he'd get when she came inside. Now she seemed distracted, clearly not noticing him near the entrance when his hair made him easy to spot. Was that a bad thing?

"Dammit, where did he go?" He heard Karin mutter, sounding frustrated, and he winced a bit. That couldn't be good. He kept his voice level.

"I'm right here." He spoke and saw her jump in surprise, whipping around to face him.

"When did…? Never mind." She stomped over to him and sat down next to him. "Not even going to wait for a reply?"

He turned away, cheeks red. Perhaps if it wasn't her he was blushing for she would have teased him, but not now.

"You know, I've been poked fun at so many times." She started. "I can't get a boyfriend because of you."

"Why?" He questioned, having mixed feelings about that.

"Because as long as you're around no one compares."

Teal eyes gazed at her skeptically, as if expecting this to be another way of teasing him. Offended that he thought so little of her she decided to prove her seriousness by leaning over and kissing him on the cheek. It was just a quick one and she quickly turned away again. He had tensed up when she'd done that.

Sofia's head popped up, noticing something interesting. She wasn't sure how but the scattered traces of Fear seemed to have lessened in the young prince. Was this their cure? They'd never thought to do this before. Possibly because of the complexity in matters of love.

"Karin…" Toshiro felt a little more comfortable now, his tone soft and catching her attention. "I don't think you did that right."

Before the thought to ask what he meant by that crossed her mind he'd managed to snake an arm around her waist and pull her into a proper kiss. Her body reacted before her mind could process what was happening, her arms moving up around his neck and eyes closing.

Violet eyes widened as any and all darkness vanished from within the boy's soul and the familiar grinned. Finally, the one light capable of stopping his descent into darkness, the one person capable of truly opening up the closed off Ice Prince. As a Royal Guard it was now as much her mission to protect young Karin Kurosaki as it was the Soul Prince.

Karin was now happily still in Toshiro's embrace, her head on his shoulder and a smile wide on her face. She almost wanted to thank Kamai, as without him coming after her she wouldn't have been able to come to the Soul King's Realm for a while. Similarly, Toshiro knew he was going to enjoy the next week or two alone with her until the other Soul Reapers were able to come here, for which he somewhat dreaded the arrival of Ichigo.

Well, until the overprotective brother showed up at least, he would be happy.

* * *

**Man, I felt so awkward writing this one. Enjoy! (My posts are going to be less frequent now, I've been getting a lot of homework. I wont' quit though! I like this story too much, and I like you guys too much ^^)**


	53. Meeting the Extended Family

Toshiro looked curiously at his hand, sitting up in bed. He could have sworn he'd seen another symbol on it, but when he'd looked it was one again. He was clearly getting too impatient with these things.

It was the day after Karin's arrival and, since he didn't really have all that much to do, he thought he'd let her meet his more…musical side of the family. They were the only ones aside from the Royal Guard who called him anything other than 'prince' or 'lord' or something related to it, though they still did that too. Sylfie especially tended to drop formalities, but she was just that kind of person and he'd gotten used to it. He was anxious for Ruala's report on the meeting happening in the Soul Society today, but since it was only morning it probably hadn't started yet.

Glancing at his brand one last time, just to make sure, he sighed and headed outside. The Kurosaki twin at least knew how to get up to the roof where Dyrilæn no doubt anxiously awaited her, having returned sometime in the night after her partner had fallen asleep, the exhaustion from the fight finally catching up to her.

"Ah, Soul Prince!" Someone called out.

He paused, turning back to see one of the messengers racing towards him with something in hand.

"Lady Nakryin sent this in, it's apparently a report from the Head Captain on what's happening in the meeting today in the Japanese branch. He had her deliver it to you before the meeting started."

"That so?" The messenger nodded. "Alright, thank you."

With a deep bow the messenger darted away to deliver something else to quite possibly anyone. Toshiro instead focused his attention on the report in his hands, reading through it quickly on the spot.

"Oh so that's his decision…" He mused aloud. "I'll have to pay him a visit."

"Pay who a visit?"

He looked up.

"Oh, Karin."

The girl nodded sleepily and stifled a yawn while patting down her stray black hair. She was dressed in one of the kimonos he'd gotten for her from Senjumaru, a violet cloth that faded to blue with silver fish swimming through it.

"So who do you need to visit?" She questioned.

"The Head Captain was kind enough to give me a report on his decision about the war." He responded, noticing her interest peak. She stepped closer to read over his shoulder. "But I'll need to speak with him about it."

She leaned on his arm and frowned.

"He doesn't want them to come here for training?" She quirked an eyebrow.

"I can see why he would insist on that, as without the Captains the Soul Society is unfortunately vulnerable." Toshiro sighed. "But, they would gain that power faster here with the higher density of Spirit Energy in the air. I'll have to speak to him about this."

"Wait until after the meeting, maybe the other Captains and Lieutenants can convince him otherwise."

"Hopefully." He turned away from the paper to look at her. "Meet me on the roof; I don't really want to carry this around."

"We going somewhere?" Karin asked, looking a little excited.

"Not far." He chuckled. "Remember the island you were first on when you came here?"

She nodded.

"There's more to it than forest. I think you'll like the people there."

"I think I saw this big mansion made out of trees."

"That would be them." He walked off back to his room.

Confused yet a little excited, Karin went to put on her Shihakusho before pausing. These were Royal Families, and the kimono did make her seem a little nicer than the plain black uniform. Instead she attempted to fix up her hair before heading up to the dragons, glad to reunite with her dragoness again. Dyrilæn had been worried sick about her the entire time during the fight, able to know she was in danger, and the Soul Reapers had had a hard time calming her down.

Eventually Toshiro joined them, Myndræl purring in greeting, and they headed off towards the Kingdom of Magika. Dyrilæn had been able to tell her that the only family living here happened to be related to the white haired prince on his mother's side and that they were very carefree. She had some hope, then, that they'd be easier to get along with than most nobles.

The dragons let their riders off but while the ice drake took off for his own time the dragoness refused to be far from her partner.

"Where does your dragon go?" Karin asked as the large blue dragon flew off.

"Practice." Toshiro replied simply. "He's still developing his powers."

"So he's like you?"

"Ha ha." His sarcastic tone made her smirk. "Anyway, the family living here is the Greenleaf Family, one of the most powerful. The head also happens to be my aunt."

"Dyrilæn told me." Karin nodded. "She says they're pretty easy going."

"The head definitely is, yes."

As if she knew they were talking about her, the green haired woman appeared behind them and latched an arm around their shoulders. Karin yelped, startled, while Toshiro just scowled as if he'd expected this.

"Is this a GIRL you're travelling with, my dear nephew?" Sylfie asked dramatically. "What a strange world this has become!"

"You never stop." Toshiro grumbled lightly and pushed her off.

"Of course not!" The Greenleaf head skirted around to stand in front of Karin. "And who's the lovely lady?"

"Uh…Karin Kurosaki." The teen replied in a sort of confused stupor. This lady was Toshiro's aunt? There was an extreme lack of family resemblance.

Sylfie's eyes lit up. She knew about the girl but had never been given a description, and now here she was with her nephew, whom she had teased relentlessly for his love for this girl. So many things raced through her head, things she could do or ask, perhaps even plan a party and force the two alone.

"Tell me, how did you meet my nephew?" Sylfie questioned first and Toshiro sighed, deciding to leave Karin with her and walk over to where Lilianna sat by the mansion, watching the interaction in amusement.

"By chance, really." Karin shrugged. "I almost lost my soccer ball but he caught it and threw it back to me. I had no idea he was a Soul Reaper at the time."

Sylfie nodded, intrigued.

"So you have a fire-type zanpaktou?" The change in subject didn't seem to faze Karin.

"A fire-wind type, actually."

"I see…so you're a soccer player?"

"I love it, I've played it since I could kick a ball."

"Very nice, good sport. So, do you prefer traditional music or modern rock?"

"I don't have a preference, really, but some songs I can't stand, especially when they play it over and over again."

"I know that feeling. I heard you kept having trouble with demons."

"Don't know why they have to bother me so much, it's really annoying. Thankfully they can't reach me here."

"Hold on." Toshiro cut into the girls' conversation. "How are you keeping up with her? You lost me when she started asking about your zanpaktou."

"It's a woman's thing." Karin smirked. Toshiro scowled at her, disbelieving, and the green haired woman laughed.

"I like this one!" Sylfie put an arm around the Substitute. "So, might as well meet the rest of the family since you're here."

"I have some things I need to see to." Toshiro spoke up. His aunt made a face. "I'll be back, it won't take me long."

They watched him walk away into the forest.

"He never stops." Sylfie sighed and Karin turned to her, confused. "He has to earn four more marks on his birthmark before his father dies and he's been training relentlessly to get them."

"What are they?"

"Not anything training can get him, that's for sure, but he doesn't know what else to do." Sylfie started walking inside, Karin following behind to hear more. "Being a prodigy means nothing concerning these marks. In fact, it's probably making it harder. His own moral code is conflicting with what he needs to do as king."

The Greenleaf twins weren't inside as they sat down at the table, allowing Sylfie to continue uninterrupted.

"Each Kanji on his hand symbolizes an attribute he must possess in order to be king." She explained. "The two I see conflicting most are the attributes of Honor and Tranquility. He wants to help his comrades in the Japanese branch become strong in order to survive this fight, which would be a very honorable thing, to protect his friends, but he also must stay neutral, to look at things from a faraway glance and decide what's best for his kingdom, not just for himself. His involvement in trying to help everyone become strong is honorable, but it's conflicting with the fact that he knows he needs to stay away to maintain tranquility."

Karin nodded slowly in understanding and chewed on that thought, wondering if maybe she could help find a center balance for the two. It came to her.

"Dethmaiyn is targeting the Japanese branch first because of Toshiro's connection to it, right?" She ventured. Interested in what she'd come up with, Sylfie nodded. "Well, if we lose this branch, there could be an upset in the balance and then he'll also go after the other branches and people in the World of the Living. By helping us gain power he's making sure that doesn't happen. He's protecting his friends AND everyone else by making sure this front doesn't fall."

"You're a genius in your own way." The Greenleaf head beamed.

"I've overheard several of Ichigo's strategy plans with Ishida and Urahara, it's important to make sure the target of attack is also the strongest defensive line, since after them the rest will fall. Works in soccer too. Keep the defense strong and the other team can't score a goal, then just let the offensive find their weak point and score!"

"Nice!" Sylfie high-fived her. "Maybe when he comes back we'll let him in on that. Put your ideas with his genius and the two of you just might find a way to beat Dethmaiyn."

They felt the air get colder.

"Looks like he's trying for that new attack again." Sylfie noted. "Along with the two he learned in the Five Trials he's caught onto another one and has been trying to master it."

"Five Trials?"

"Just like it sounds, he took five different trials in order to raise his Spirit Energy to the point that it's at. He was not allowed his zanpaktou for four of them."

"He wasn't?" Karin's eyes widened.

"That was the point of it, to raise his Spirit Energy. He couldn't do that if he depended on Hyorinmaru. He was forced to raise it in order to hold out in a fight with multiple elemental spirits." Sylfie paused, moving to arrange a few things she saw were out of place. "It's something Ruala did to earn her elemental powers, but with some adjustments, she made it work for him. It was a quick way to awaken his locked away Spirit Energy and bring him to the needed level of power faster than normal."

"That's how he got so strong. He wouldn't tell me."

"He wasn't allowed to. The Soul King, or at the moment the Soul Prince, has never been so involved with affairs in the Soul Society and the World of the Living. Just like it's forbidden to give humans too much knowledge about the land of the dead, it's forbidden for him to interact so much with the other realms. Thanks to the rather unique circumstances of this war he's been allowed some leniency but he still had to hold his tongue."

"What about now?" Karin asked as the woman sat back down. "He's going to bring several Soul Reapers here."

"There was a meeting a few days ago with the commanders of the different branches, so basically the people who represent the world, and they all agreed that defending the Japanese branch, Dethmaiyn's current target, is top priority right now. Several of them are going to help with the training, or if not them at least one or two of their officers underneath them."

"What about the Royal Guard?"

"They're as into this idea as he is. It is their job to protect him so they'll go through with it if he does, Ruala especially."

Karin gave a nod of approval before looking around the mansion home.

"So how come you guys live here with one of the Royal Guards?" She asked.

"Ah, one of my daughters sort of adopted dear Ruala as a sister, so she's like my surrogate daughter. Ælfwyn almost considered her more of a daughter herself since…" Karin looked at Sylfie in confusion as the woman cut off, a saddened expression on her face. A smile was quickly slapped back on. "That doesn't matter. With Ruala's habit of taking in the wilder creatures of the surface area no one else is brave enough to live here, but our ancestry was all about forests and animals so we love it here."

"Cool, I bet that makes Ruala happy."

Sylfie nodded.

"Say, how do you feel about my nephew?" There she went again with a change in subject.

Karin's cheeks turned a little red and she avoided that amber gaze.

"He's…difficult to get along with, sometimes." She practically muttered.

"Well of course, the two of you are complete opposites." Sylfie snickered. "Fire and Ice…usually those two are referred to as enemies when they're in the same sentence."

"Yeah, well, he definitely gets on my nerves sometimes." The teen huffed. Her expression softened. "But his heart's in the right place."

"I think you need to melt him a little." Karin blinked, confused by the woman's use of words. "Ya know, make him a little less stiff. If anyone can shake off his cold exterior it's a girl with fire."

"Um, well…how?"

"Be creative." Sylfie shrugged. "The two of you are infatuated with each other. Just get used to being by him more and figure out how to open him up."

"Well, I'm not complaining but…" Karin furrowed her brow in thought, "he's just so cautious. And even though he..." She cut off, blushing, "even though he…is friends with me…it's hard to open him up."

"It's a lot easier now, trust me. With Ruala's ability to see what it is you truly feel and his father's kindness he's showed more of himself than when he first came here."

The cold grew less intense and they assumed perhaps he was done and on his way.

"I'll go find my daughters." Sylfie stood, winking. "We'll talk about our strategy later when I get back. Work on getting those feelings out of him."

Karin stuck her tongue out at her and the green haired woman laughed before vanishing into the halls.

Instead of waiting for him inside the Substitute returned to the open air, sitting peacefully with her dragoness. Myndræl had come back and was sitting next to the fire drake, a little closer than she had thought the two were willing to sit, what with them being complete opposites in body temperature and powers.

"That demon was honestly lucky I wasn't there." Dyrilæn snorted, referring to Gralio. "I would have roasted him."

"I thought you didn't have your breath yet." Karin teased and her dragoness did the dragon equivalent of a scowl, fangs bared. "Better get it soon, Myndræl's at least three feet bigger than you and dragons don't grow any bigger than you until they get their powers."

Following that she turned to her ice counterpart and snorted, her partner laughing at the ice drake's amused expression and the fire one's irritated. Dragons were nothing like in stories. They acted like big scaly people. Sometimes.

"Well it's not like you're helping." Dyrilæn turned to her partner. "Myndræl had help from his partner; your power isn't high enough that I can learn from it like he did."

"Oh I'll get there." Karin snapped. "I'm a Kurosaki, power runs in the family."

"There's no denying that." A cold voice replied.

Steel gray eyes turned and spotted the white haired figure approaching them. He looked a little frustrated with something, though most of it was hidden by a smirk as he entered their conversation easily.

"Hopefully you can control yours better than your brother." He continued and she pouted. "Sylfie find something else to do?"

Karin noted with interest how he called the Greenleaf head by her first name, having finally called her something other than the 'Greenleaf Head'. Then again, he was probably just trying not to confuse her, but still. It had taken her forever to get him to call her by her first name.

"She went to find her daughters." She replied to his question.

"I didn't think that would take so long." He frowned.

"So what were you up to?" The teen changed the subject.

"Thinking." He said simply, causing her to frown. "I think best when I'm training. The meeting in Soul Society should be starting soon. I'll give them an hour or so before I head over."

"I'm guessing you're not going to let me come?"

Toshiro sighed, noticing how she was avoiding looking at him, instead helping her dragon itch a hard to reach spot. Dyrilæn purred happily and Myndræl snorted, earning himself a fiery glare.

"I just don't want to risk it." Came his reply.

"Well, guess I'll train with Ruala then." She shrugged. "I heard about the Five Trials, maybe she'll let me take them."

"Probably not, they're more difficult than you think. It took Nakryin five weeks to complete them."

"You?"

"…Three and a half."

"Why'd you hesitate?" Karin turned to him curiously, catching onto a possible teasing subject.

"Well I wasn't going to lie." He frowned. "Trust me, these trials are difficult. You're not going to complete them in a day."

"I'm gonna be here a while, might as well do something."

"Just to warn you, once you start the trials you don't get your zanpaktou back until you've finished."

She gaped a bit. Yes, Sylfie had said he couldn't use his zanpaktou during the trials, but she hadn't known that he couldn't have it at all while training. That was a bit harsh.

'_**Oh I'll burn anyone who tries to take you away from me.**_' Homuratei growled, the sound echoing in her inner landscape.

"That's insane." Her master said aloud.

"I agree, I was very unhappy with that arrangement." He grumbled, moving over to sit next to her in the grass. "I suggest finding a different way of training if you don't want to lose your zanpaktou for several weeks."

"Suggestion taken." She nodded. "Ruala was a pretty strict trainer."

"I suppose everyone was surprised by her strength due to how quiet she is." He smirked a bit, trying to imagine the looks on some of his friends' faces.

"Surprised!?" Karin snorted with laughter. "She knocked Kenpachi into a wall and he blacked out! Most of Squad Eleven won't go near her!"

She got a pleasant surprise as Toshiro laughed loudly, the scene playing in his mind.

"He got off lucky." The Ice Prince said once he'd settled down. "My final trial was to fight against her and she actually used her powers against me. Fighting against your opposite elements is NOT an easy task."

Giggling a bit at that, Karin continued on to tell him about the training back in the Soul Society with Ruala, getting another laugh when she retold Ichigo's story about Yoruichi's reaction to the Royal Guardian's speed. He truly was more relaxed now, quicker to smile than she was used to, though she wasn't complaining. He seemed to light up when he smiled, making him an almost completely different person. He almost looked more like his father, though there was still an instinctive stiffness to his reactions, no doubt able to switch right into battle mode if needed.

Sylfie eventually called them in and they walked inside for Karin to meet the twins. Toshiro spent his time with the girls before he had to head off to see the Head Captain, though the Greenleaf girls noticed a definite focus of attention on the newest member to the King's Realm accompanied by a lighter attitude while in her presence.

All too soon the girls waved a temporary goodbye to their prince as he left.

"Oh man." Karin face palmed. "We forgot to tell him about the idea we came up with."

"Oops." Sylfie frowned, realizing she was right. Her daughters both sighed lightly, giggling. "Eh, we'll tell him later."

* * *

**Probably my longest chapter ever, almost five whole pages on Word Doc. Yay! Not as much fluff here but Shiro's a lot more relaxed around her now, obviously. And he's slowly introducing her to his family, that sneaky bastard XD Now he just needs to get along with HER family, namely a certain strawberry, hehe. Enjoy!**


	54. The Reapers Head to the King's Realm

"That is my final decision and the decision of Central 46." The Head Captain said gruffly to the gathered Captains and Lieutenants, slamming the end of his cane to the floor.

"But-" Rangiku attempted to argue, only to be silenced by a heated glare. Kadin frowned but said nothing.

There was no arguing now, some sighing heavily, a few sharing concerned glances at what they were to do now. Ichigo, standing at the end of one of the lines since he was important but not really a Captain, scowled at the decision. How was he going to check up on his sister if he couldn't go there?

Someone opened the doors and their attention turned to the entrance, surprised to see a familiar face. Twenty-five people bowed while the Head Captain simply lowered his head as he was sitting. Ichigo just crossed his arms, wondering what the white haired being was doing here.

"Soul Prince, you've come back again." The Head Captain frowned. If the boy had come here himself than he disagreed with his decision in the report.

"I can see you were all just about to leave." He replied. "I'll ask that you stay."

"What are you up to, eh?" Shunsui grinned cheekily.

"I was given a report on the Head Captain's decision to enter this war, but I have to disagree with his decision to not let you train in the Soul King's Realm."

"I cannot let the Soul Society remain unguarded." Yamamoto grumbled.

"I understand." Toshiro nodded, turning to the two behind him. Senjumaru and Tenjiro stood on either side of the doors. "I'm not about to let it be unguarded either."

There were some murmurs of excitement at the thought of getting the Head Captain to change his mind.

"Those who wish to stay are welcome." The prince continued, looking back at the Head Captain. "Nakryin will still come here to help those who want it. I won't force anyone to choose either option."

Silence stretched through the hall as the old man chewed on that thought. If he was honest with himself, the only reason he wouldn't let his Captains go was because he was worried about lack of security in the Seireitei, but Hitsugaya had just offered him a solution to that. And the Central 46 wasn't about to go against the Soul Prince, so there was no need to seek their council. Senjumaru had made her point before that their Spirit Energy would increase quicker under the heavier air of the king's realm.

"Very well." The Head Captain grumbled. "If you're willing to leave your Royal Guard here in order to train us, I see no reason to refuse."

There were sighs of relief around the room and a few of them beamed.

"I'm glad you agree." Toshiro nodded. "Those who wish to go can meet me at Kukaku Shiba's place. I will only wait for a few hours." '_And here I thought I'd get a week or two alone with Karin._'

The prince turned and was gone as quick as he'd arrived. They were starting to expect him now, these random appearances of his to check on his old home.

"Well, I suppose those who want to go best prepare to depart soon." Yamamoto spoke up, standing and also leaving. It didn't take long for everyone to file out and head back to their respective barracks.

"We're going, right Captain?" Rangiku asked the silver haired man as they returned.

"Of course." He smiled. "I'm definitely not one of the strongest Captains so I'd like to try and fix that."

The strawberry-blonde grinned and rushed off to grab her things. They weren't sure how long they'd be staying considering the hassle of moving the Tenchuren back and forth between the realms.

"Not going?" Shinji looked to his petite Lieutenant.

"No…" She replied nervously. "I'm not very strong, I don't think I'd be able to go…I'll keep the squad running for you, Captain Hirako."

The blonde frowned but let it go. He trusted Momo to do just that so he saw no reason to inquire any further.

Such actions were happening throughout the Seireitei as those strong enough to go chose whether or not they wanted to go and began packing. They had a few hours to do so as well as select officers to run the squads in their absence. From afar the Seireitei would seem peaceful but in separate barracks there was lots of running around and panicking. Minds were changed constantly. After all, who wouldn't want a chance to go to the Soul King's Realm?

Toshiro awaited those going patiently at Kukaku's place, the Shiba family already prepared to send the Tenchuren back to his realm. Ganju, one of the youngest of the family and one of the bull riders, attempted small talk but was quick to realize that the white haired prince was not very talkative.

'_**So the protective brother is going to be showing up early.**_' Hyorinmaru huffed. '_**It shouldn't be that hard to lose him.**_'

'_I can't be selfish, I'll get over it._' Toshiro replied. '_As much as I want to I can't just forget about them and focus on Karin._'

He paused as someone arrived; Shunsui and Jushiro along with Nanao and Rukia. So Squads Eight and Thirteen were leaving their squads to the Third Seats.

"It really is good to see you again." Jushiro smiled warmly as they approached where the young prince sat. "How have you been?"

"I've been better." Toshiro shrugged. "It took me a while to get used to all the new faces."

"I'll bet." Shunsui grinned foxily. "How are the royal girls in your realm, eh?"

Quirking an eyebrow at him to say 'seriously?', Toshiro ignored the comment, his thoughts straying instead to a certain Substitute.

Ichigo arrived and his thoughts were quickly scrambled. Right, Karin's brother would be watching him now. This was going to make things difficult for them.

"How's Karin?" The orange haired Reaper asked immediately.

"She's only been there without you for a day, I'm pretty sure she's fine." Toshiro sighed. '_Though I wish you'd be gone longer._' Hyorinmaru laughed.

The young man grunted, suspicious, but said no more.

Over time the others willing to come began to arrive. The Head Captain was staying to keep the Thirteen Court Guard Squads running and his Lieutenant never left his side. Soi Fon had reluctantly left her Lieutenant in charge, with an order to her Third Seat to keep an eye on him, and was also coming. Squad Three was staying, the Squad Four Captain was going, as was the Squad Five Captain. Toshiro hid his slight disappointment at Momo's refusal to go.

Squads Six and Seven were also sending both Captain and Lieutenant, though once they made it there Iba decided he'd be better off staying and left. Squads Nine, Ten and Eleven were also going, including Ikkaku, and, to finish it off, Lieutenant Nemu would also be going, her 'father' having other interesting things to do but still wanting information on the Soul King's Realm.

"I suppose that's everybody." Soi Fon pointed out. "Can Lieutenant Kusajishi even go?"

"Would you like to try and separate her?" Kukaku snickered.

The assassin looked towards the tiny, pink haired child sitting on the giant Squad Eleven Captain. She paid no attention whatsoever to the conversation, giggling happily.

"If she can withstand Zaraki's power she can survive the Soul King's Realm." Toshiro said, standing. "If that's everyone we best be going."

"Oi!" A voice called out.

Yoruichi arrived in a flash, utilizing Ruala's teachings in Flash Step, along with Kisuke.

"Don't think you're leaving us behind, Ice Prince." The she-cat smirked.

"It's a good thing we got Kurosaki's message in time." Kisuke beamed, eyes hidden by his hat to hide any nefarious scheme planning.

"Anyone else?" Hitsugaya questioned with a frown. The two that had just arrived shook their heads. "Alright, now we can leave."

With only a little bickering they all managed to fit inside and the Shiba family sent the Tenchuren back to its home realm, those inside who were new to this experience surprised by how little of a jolt there was during launch. They were at the Soul King's Realm in no time and filing back out, faces lighting up in wonder or shock at the scenery around them. Others hid their excitement while two or three truly just did not care.

"The air here is definitely heavier with Spirit Energy." Sajin noted, all of them able to feel, even if only a little bit, the pressuring feeling in the air. When they focused back on Toshiro, most of them could no longer sense his Spiritual Pressure, as he'd let it rise to the level he normally kept it at in his home.

"This way." He called back behind him as he headed forward along the Vestibule Road. "And please don't attack my dragon."

They looked confused, wondering if he meant Hyorinmaru, before a large blue dragon flew over them, circling back around with sweeping movements of his wings and landing next to their guide. Toshiro greeted Myndræl with a smile and a pat before he started walking once more, the ice drake walking with him. Thankfully they were used to Dyrilæn and did not react in any sort of threatening manner to his presence.

"Where's Karin?" Ichigo questioned, still worried about his sister being alone with the young prince, especially after how friendly they seemed with each other during the twins' birthday.

"On that island." Toshiro motioned to the biggest one with the waterfall tumbling off its edge, a forest somewhat visible atop it. "Most likely still with the Greenleaf Family, one of the most powerful Royal Families."

"The Greenleaf Head is his aunt." Myndræl added.

"Myndræl." Toshiro frowned up at the dragon; he hadn't intended to tell them that. The dragon lowered his head in apology. "But yes, Sylfie Greenleaf is my aunt."

They saw something red lift off of the island and head towards them.

"And now Karin is heading our way." Toshiro pointed out with some sarcasm to his voice considering that information was quite obvious. "We can meet up with her in the palace."

Just like Senjumaru had done for him, Toshiro led them all to the lowered stone platform, Myndræl lifting off to meet them in the palace, and whispered a small phrase, the platform rising while taking barely any of his Spirit Energy to do so. Yachiru watched this with fascination, jumping off for a moment to peer over the edge as they rose up. Being the closest, Byakuya had to pull her back before her head got crushed between stone as they arrived inside the palace. A few of them were excited now as they realized they were inside the palace of the Soul King. They wondered if they would have the honor of meeting him.

They followed Toshiro along the same path he'd once been guided through, except he did not go to his father's floor. Kirio had told him about a floor designed for having many guests that were there for training, which is exactly what they needed. Plus it had a large open area for easy access by the dragons. Toshiro wondered if any of the dragons would partner with them as they had for him and Karin, but somehow he doubted that. Karin was lucky that hers was one of the more tame wild ones, and the other five or so dragons that were friendly towards humans showed no possible relation to anyone here, as the dragons always seemed to have similar powers as their partners.

"All the rooms are open for use." He turned and said to his followers as they made it to their destination.

The floor was simple and reminded most of them of the Kuchiki Manor. The main room had several couches and tables for lounging and socializing and was pretty big, though there was a large area near the wall where the ceiling opened up and the floor turned from the soft wood of normal homes to solid rock, a few scratches already across it. It was there Myndræl and Dyrilæn sat with Karin next to the latter, the girl darting over and greeting her brother with a quick hug.

"You didn't give me time to power up, idiot." She snapped at him playfully. Ichigo laughed.

"No can do, kiddo." He ruffled her hair, causing her to scowl at him.

"Get settled in." Toshiro said to them, catching their attention. "When you want to begin just send a Spirit Butterfly." He let one such white butterfly rest on his finger before it fluttered away. "They work the same way as a Hell Butterfly."

"What will you be doing?" Rangiku questioned, wondering what her former Captain was always busy with.

"I'm still training myself." He held his right hand up, showing his birthmark with only one symbol on it.

That done, he left astride Myndræl and towards Dragon Isle. Karin wondered what he was going there for, having expected him to head to the Kingdom of Magika.

"So you've already been here." Ikkaku caught her attention.

"Yeah but I haven't been on this floor." She shrugged. "There are a lot of them, try not to get lost."

"But you could at least tell us how things work here." Rukia suggested and the Substitute nodded.

The large group of Soul Reapers separated off into rooms, some doubling up if it was available to keep themselves close together. Karin decided to share a room with her brother, knowing full well the orange haired Reaper didn't agree to her being alone with Toshiro.

Later that evening she sat with her dragon, looking out towards Dragon Isle. The young prince had gotten out of there as fast as he could, it seemed, proving Sylfie's point that he was trying to distance himself, to remain neutral.

Sighing, Karin waited no longer and asked Dyrilæn to take her to the island. She hadn't gotten the chance to tell him about the idea she'd come up with that could possibly earn him two more marks anyway, so it was a good excuse. The others didn't seem to find any reason to keep her as she took off upon the scarlet dragoness and away from them.

Well, not all of them. Rukia and Rangiku kept Ichigo forcefully in his seat. He wasn't about to mess this up.

* * *

**Ugh I hate these late posts. I'm posting at school so can't talk now. Enjoy!**


	55. Royal Privileges

There seemed to be more dragons than usual, with Lilianna as always at the center, easy to spot. She turned to them with mild curiosity.

"Why are there so many dragons?" Myndræl asked as he sat a few feet in front of the dragoness, scanning around at the gathered drakes. Dimara was still watching but now she did so whilst standing, gaze more intent than before.

"It is nearing the end of spring." Lilianna replied. "Dragonlings hatch in the week right before summer begins."

"So most of the dragons here are mothers?" Toshiro was able to spot a few large eggs with some of the dragons, their surfaces smooth like polished stone and in colors similar to their mothers.

"Yes, and while there seem to be quite a few, not all dragonlings hatch." The violet dragon stood and walked over to another dragoness they did not recognize, most likely a wild one. The mother was glancing wearily at Toshiro but seemed to recognize a fellow dragon, not to mention he and Myndræl were still considered dragonlings. "Come here."

The mother now growled at Lilianna, bristling a bit.

"He would not dare harm your child, Kalina." Lilianna said in a stern tone, like a strict mother reprimanding a stubborn teenager.

"He best not." Kalina snorted, reluctantly allowing the Ice Prince to approach. She was a large dragoness, easily standing over Lilianna even though the violet dragon was able to command her, and of a bright green color. Her egg was of a darker color, thin lines of brown spider-webbing across the surface.

Curious, Myndræl carefully leaned his head down towards the egg, taking caution not to touch it. Kalina was more at ease with him but still held a steady glare down at him.

"Ice and Earth drakes don't really mix." She grumbled.

"Neither do Fire and Ice." Lilianna said with a mysterious grin, looking towards Hitsugaya knowingly. He avoided her gaze, sitting down near the egg and watching it curiously. He wondered if they were like birds, little balls of fluff, or more like reptiles. Probably the latter, though he'd seen a few fur-covered dragons.

"Of course not." The green dragon huffed at Lilianna. "Those kinds of dragons never get along."

"And yet…" The violet dragon trailed off as a new person arrived, Karin and Dyrilaen. The black haired teen raced over, curiosity turning to fascination as she spotted the egg. Kalina's brown eyes widened a bit as the girl, her spirit clearly that of a strong Fire Wyvern, leaned up against the young Ice Drake, the prince, without any repercussions. In fact, he seemed to enjoy her company.

Gaze softening, Kalina nudged the egg towards the pair for them to look at. If dragons of Fire and Ice could enjoy each other's presence, she didn't see a problem with letting them stay. She could sense her dragonling beginning to awaken within the shell and wanted the two and their dragon partners to see it. A huge sign of trust among dragons, though no mention of such a thing was made.

There was a shift and Karin's eyes lit up.

"It moved!" She inched a little closer

"You must be quiet." Lilianna whispered, tone amused. "Dragonlings are easily frightened, especially on their first day of life."

"Sorry…" The teen covered her mouth and sat back next to Toshiro.

The egg wobbled a bit more before going still. The two dragons shared a glance and looked at their partners, awaiting their reaction. Cracks lit up on the shell's surface before exploding outwards, revealing a tiny dragon, no bigger than a house cat, lying on its back. Startled, Karin let out a yelp and fell back, Toshiro barely managing to catch her and pull her back up. Though her cheeks were red from embarrassment she looked at the small creature thrashing about in front of them, trying to get on its feet.

"Come on, little one." Kalina purred softly, nudging her baby over until he was on his feet. He was even smaller than Shimmer, dark green skin smooth and still a bit wet, black eye barely open.

With a pitiful squeak he lifted his head up and nudged his mother's snout, the Earth dragoness purring happily.

"He's adorable." Dyrilæn told Kalina.

"And I'm sure he'll be as strong as his dad." The mother replied with a toothy grin. "My little Halith will be a strong guardian."

The dragonling gave a happy chirp and they laughed.

Leaving Halith to his mother, Toshiro and Karin walked a little ways away.

"So what did you come here for?" She questioned. "I doubt it was for the baby dragons."

"No, it wasn't. I thought I'd learn a bit more about the dragons. Lilianna seems to think I'm going to be king of the dragons so I don't want to be ill informed."

"Soul King and Dragon King. That's quite the combo."

Toshiro gave her an amused glance.

"Why did you follow me?" He asked.

The girl paused for a moment, the excitement of seeing a dragon hatch having erased her original thought from her mind. After a moment it came to her and she quickly faced him.

"It was when I was talking to Sylfie." She started. "We came up with this idea, see, to maybe help you get another mark."

He looked surprised that she knew about the marks and stayed quiet, listening.

"Since Dethmaiyn has been targeting the Japanese branch, it's kind of important that you make sure it doesn't fall, because then the rest of the world is in danger. So yeah, you're helping out your friends and making sure they're safe, but you're also doing it to make sure Dethmaiyn can't get any farther than here."

"That…is a legitimate reason." The young prince mused.

"So then you should stop trying to get away from everybody." The teen continued. To this he looked away, unwilling to refuse that claim but not about to accept it either. "Let's go back?"

With a quick nod he started heading back towards where Myndræl and Dyrilæn sat together, a few of the wild dragons looking at them curiously. Right, they didn't think Fire and Ice could get along, let alone have a relationship. The dragons tended to follow the same path as their partners, including their feelings.

Something warm grasped his hand, making him turn. Karin grinned foxily at him and kept walking, her hand in his, and he couldn't help but smile. He could care less what the dragons thought, he loved her.

"To be honest, I had hoped the others wouldn't be by for a few days." He said aloud.

"I'm sure you'll have me all to yourself later." She sent back with a snicker, watching a slight blush creep onto his face. She'd hit the nail on the head.

Their partners were still with Halith and his mother, watching the newborn attempt to walk and move to learn his surroundings. This place was a sanctuary for the young, so Toshiro knew they wouldn't be leaving any time soon, not until little Halith was big enough to fend for himself. In the end only two had hatched, but the week was not yet over. Mothers hoped their little ones would make it.

Myndræl informed them that he and Dyrilæn wanted to stay, though the former was willing to at least drop them off before he came back. A week like this was exciting for them. Not seeing a problem with it, Toshiro agreed and quickly mounted, Karin riding behind him as the ice drake flew quickly back to the palace.

They spotted a figure standing on the stone platform where the dragons landed, though they shifted to the side. Teal eyes caught onto green hair and he groaned.

"Well, at least it'll be interesting." Karin offered. He just grunted in response.

Myndræl chuckled, landing smoothly and allowing them off before immediately flying back towards Dragon Isle. They weren't to expect rides anytime soon, which meant they'd have to find different ways of travelling across the island kingdoms. Knowing what that entailed, the young prince mentally grimaced before turning to his aunt.

"What are you planning?" He asked.

The woman pouted.

"Must I want something to come visit my brother-in-law and his son?"

"That depends…"

"Well, I do, but don't worry, I won't be bothering you guys." She winked and headed off towards the stairs. "I might later, though! With a crowd this big we could have some serious fun!"

"Ooh, I like your aunt." Rangiku grinned. On reflex, the young prince cast her a glare.

"Oi." Kenpachi walked over to him, Yachiru currently running around to explore. "When do we get to start fighting?"

"When someone comes for you." Toshiro replied calmly. "I suggest you relax, it takes a while to get used to the difference in the Spirit Energy concentration here."

"He's right; I was exhausted when I first got here." Karin agreed, stretching her arms and moving to sit next to her brother. He seemed happy with this, having been scowling when they'd arrived together. "Though I guess it's because my Spirit Energy isn't as high as everyone else's yet."

"You look just fine to me." Ikkaku snickered.

"I've been here longer." She replied easily.

There was a pause as a butterfly rushed past, catching their attention. It settled onto the waiting hand of the young prince who listened intently. After a moment his eyes widened in surprise but he continued listening until the end. He was frowning in confusion when the insect finally left.

"Kurosaki…both of you…follow me." Toshiro headed for the stairs.

The siblings shared a glance before they stood and did as they were told, the others watching in confusion.

"Wonder what's wrong." Rangiku mused. "Are humans not supposed to come here?"

"But Ichigo's a Soul Reaper now, a full time one." Rukia argued. "And Karin's been here before."

For the time being they decided to let it be until they came back and spoke of other things to pass the time. Ikkaku stumbled upon a training room and made sure to inform his Captain, the two of them then proceeding to duke it out to kill some time.

Following the young prince, Karin and Ichigo stayed silent, wondering what was going on and why they were asked to come along. It was nerve wracking to say the least, not knowing why they had to be summoned as well.

"So…" Karin finally decided to break the silence, "where are we going?"

"To see my father."

"Eh?!" Ichigo gaped, startled. He'd been summoned to see the Soul King? "But, why?"

"Good question." Toshiro spared a glance back before opening the door to the floor his father lived on. "I truly have no idea. This is as much a surprise to me as it is you."

Having already met the man, Karin was somewhat more relaxed than her brother, who was unsure what to do. He wasn't big on manners and never bothered to really give any respect to Byakuya or even the Head Captain, who'd finally gotten used to being called Old Man all the time by the orange haired man, but this guy was king. For some reason that just made him nervous, especially when he knew how strong Toshiro was after training here for several weeks.

Said prince had them wait in the office attached to the Soul King's room while he stepped inside. He spotted his father lying in bed; clearly it was one of his low points. The sight made Toshiro frown as he hurried over.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Oh, I'll be fine." Satoru assured him with a strained smile. It was obvious his son wasn't convinced. "Now, where are the Kurosakis?"

"Just outside." There was a noticeable hesitation before Toshiro turned and walked back to the door, allowing Ichigo and Karin inside.

Nervously, as they didn't know why they were there, they approached the bed-ridden man, their prince friend immediately moving back to his father's side with a worried stance.

"I can see you're wondering why you're here." The Soul King said with a gentle smile to calm them, reminding Ichigo somewhat of Jushiro, except for the intensity of that green-blue gaze.

"A bit, yeah." Ichigo replied. His sister elbowed him with a glare that said 'this isn't the time to be disrespectful.'

Satoru just chuckled.

"When I heard the two of you were coming I wanted to make sure I had a chance to speak to you before training. I apologize for the state I'm in at this point. I'm not very kingly."

"There's no need to apologize for that." Karin bowed her head slightly, uncomfortable with him apologizing for being sick.

Toshiro cast her a grateful glance before focusing back on his father. He couldn't believe he'd ask for a meeting with them during such a bad moment.

"Now then, on to why I asked Toshiro to bring you here." Satoru cleared his throat. "It's about your heritage."

"Heritage?" Ichigo raised an eyebrow in question.

"Yes, from your father's side. The Shiba Clan was once a Royal Family, before my time."

"Seriously?"

As the Soul King nodded, the two siblings let their jaws drop in wonder. They were royalty? Karin suddenly remembered what Kamai had told her, how they were the same, both Royal Families. So he was telling the truth. That just further proved he was incapable of lying, which made her inwardly grimace. Some of the things he'd said she didn't like, such as his thoughts about Toshiro becoming King. She refused to believe they were true.

"I knew they were once a noble family but I didn't think they were one of the Royal Families." Toshiro spoke up, also surprised.

"The Shiba Clan was banned from this realm many centuries ago. I believe it was because, even back then, they interfered far too much in the World of the Living. They were knocked down to being a noble clan until their continued actions had them disowned even there."

"And now we've saved the Soul Society from destruction." Ichigo smirked.

"Indeed." Satoru chuckled. "Funny how fate works, don't you think?"

"I can't wait to see the look on Byakuya's face when you tell him." Karin snickered, grinning mischievously.

Amused, the Soul King let them be for a moment as they wondered how to tell the Kuchiki head the news and get the best reaction.

"About your training." He finally spoke up and the siblings silenced. "Considering you've inherited much of the power from your ancestors, there might be a way to help you gain them faster."

They listened intently.

"For you it's more of a choice, but I would think training by way of the Five Trials would be the best option."

"Five Trials?" Ichigo looked confused while Karin seemed excited, before remembering the downside to the trials and frowning, having to really think whether she wanted to do them or not. Toshiro had done them in three and a half weeks, but he was a genius, plus he had a lot more power as Soul Prince. She didn't know if she wanted to be without her zanpaktou for that long or longer.

While she'd been thinking, Toshiro had explained the basics of the Five Trials to Ichigo, including the fact he wouldn't be allowed his zanpaktou. Though a little put off by the last bit, the young Reaper stood firm.

"I'll do it." He said.

"Same." Karin nodded. It was time she got out of her brother's shadow. Everyone expected her to be like him. She'd prove to them she was more than capable.

"Very well." Satoru smiled. "I'll have Ruala take you there tomorrow."

The man suddenly fell into a fit of coughs, startling the Kurosakis. Toshiro had moved closer, helping support his father up but unhappy with being unable to do anything else. The coughing ceased though it was clear the others were still worried.

"I'm sorry to keep you so long." The king said with a scratchy voice. "That was all I had to say. Best you go back to the others."

Understanding that this was a fragile moment, Ichigo and Karin gave a respectful bow and left quickly. Toshiro remained behind to look after his father.

"Must be tough on Toshiro." Ichigo frowned as they entered the main room. "He didn't even get to know his dad for very long."

"Yeah…" Karin glanced back sadly before taking lead, as Ichigo had no idea how to navigate the floors.

Her brother looked at her suspiciously but said nothing. There was too much going on for anything to be going on between them anyway, so he looked past it.

Tomorrow they were starting some very important training; it was time to cool off before heading in full charge.

* * *

**Baby dragons! And then depressing subjects T^T**

**Anyway, I have a proposal. This is starting to get kinda long so I thought of maybe splitting it into two stories. I THINK I might have a good place to end it and I still know where i'm heading with this so I can keep going. What do you think? Just keep going, no matter how long it gets? Please PM me!**

**Other than that, Enjoy!**


	56. Two Steps Closer

Later that evening, just as the sun was beginning to vanish behind the earth, the sky darkening into its array of sunset colors, Toshiro was speaking to Ruala. They stood at the balcony on his father's floor, the latter having used her magic to ease the pain in the Soul King and send him to sleep. They hoped with rest he'd be able to move tomorrow, but it was a small hope.

"How long does he have?" Toshiro questioned in a quiet tone, expression downcast.

"He asked me not to say."

"I see…So not long, then."

The guardian nodded once. Sighing, Toshiro tried to find something else to talk about other than the fast approaching date of his father's death.

"Will Karin and her brother be able to get through the trials quickly?"

"It depends. Everyone is different. The elder Kurosaki has a lot of his power already, but there is still much locked beneath he doesn't know how to harness. Lady Karin has only just unlocked her powers and has much of it still hidden away."

"And everyone else…how will they progress?"

"Those without Bankai might earn it here, and the Captains may double or triple their strength."

"That's the last thing Zaraki needs." Toshiro huffed.

"He has his powers; his problem is controlling it into a deadly force." Ruala picked up Sofia as her familiar returned from who knows where.

But she did not return alone.

Confused, Toshiro looked at Kadin as the new Squad Ten Captain approached them with some confusion himself. Whatever Sofia was planning, no one but she and Ruala seemed to know about it. That's when he remembered how Ruala had looked at him with some recognition when she had first seen him. Perhaps now he'd get some answers.

Kadin didn't seem to recognize her, though, but paid his respects and bowed to the young prince and his guardian.

"Do you know him?" Toshiro questioned Ruala. She nodded, startling Kadin.

"Um, well…I don't know you." The man said, scratching his head nervously.

Ruala removed her hood, something she tended not to do for strangers. She looked hopeful that him being able to see her face would spark a memory of some sort, though why Toshiro had no clue. What was she getting at? Kadin looked at her closely but showed no signs of recognition. Not until his gaze locked with hers.

"You do…look familiar." He mused. "And not from the training…"

"You've never left the realm until you had to come find me." Toshiro said to the girl, starting to get suspicious. This meant one of two things; she'd gone to Soul Society before…or Kadin was never truly a soul in the Rukongai.

"Neither had he." Ruala replied, quickly answering his question. "That's why he can't remember anything past a certain date."

"How did you know that?" Kadin narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Looks like I wasn't the only royal hidden away among the Thirteen Court Guard Squads." Toshiro stated.

"You mean…I'm a…?" Kadin trailed off, unsure and a little confused. "But…why can't I remember anything? It's not like you where you never really had any memories of this place…I must have lived here before…so why can't I remember it?"

"We thought you were dead." Ruala replied sadly. "Ælfwyn, Ralæn, Sylfie and I. We thought Dethmaiyn had killed you."

"Why would he want to kill me?" The man was clearly uncomfortable with this conversation. Toshiro was listening silently now, trying to figure out Ruala's reasoning for saying this now, why she seemed so sad…and why she seemed to speak easily with him.

"You're the son of Ælfwyn Greenleaf." Kadin went silent as Ruala continued. "Ælfwyn is the heiress to the Greenleaf Family, once her mother Sylfie passes, but as her son you are first in line to take that position."

Kadin turned his gaze to the floor, trying to take all this in. No memories seemed to come forth.

"Also, the Greenleaf Family is one of the most powerful families. If Hitsugaya had not been born or was found and killed, you would have been a most likely choice as the next Soul King. Dethmaiyn couldn't have that, as he wanted the position, so he made to kill you. We thought he'd succeeded."

"But he didn't…" Kadin frowned. "Why erase my memory? Why not just kill me?"

"I don't know…you must have escaped somehow but as a result lost your memory, and most of your powers."

A tense silence stretched over them, heavy and uncomfortable. If what Ruala said was true, this shadow wielder was a cousin of Toshiro's, which the said prince found interesting. Not only was the new Squad Ten Captain another royal, but he was also related to the last one. In fact, as he thought about it, that was three Captains in a row for Squad Ten that were royals, even if the Shiba clan was no longer a Royal Family. Strange.

"You may be able to get it back through the Five Trials." Ruala continued. "You could return to your home."

Frowning Kadin chewed on that thought for a moment.

"I think…" He looked back up at the girl. "I think I'll stay where I am. It would be a little strange to come back to a place I don't remember, and Squad Ten has lost enough Captains." At the last part he smirked at Toshiro, the young prince replying with a small smirk of his own. The man had a point.

"If that is what you wish." Ruala bowed her head to him, looking a little sad. The hood went back up. "At least you know now."

"Thank you." Kadin smiled gently at her before he turned away to leave.

Though Toshiro had several questions for her, Ruala did not linger long either once Kadin was gone, vanishing into the depths of the palace and leaving him confused. Perhaps he'd ask another day, she seemed upset and he didn't want to bother her.

He returned to his room but was not ready to sleep just yet. After his father had had that fit he'd been forced to rethink how to get more of the symbols on his brand. Sitting at his desk he looked down at the faintly glowing mark, frustrated that he still only had one. He was running out of time and he had no idea how to get the others. Sighing, he let his hand fall before running the other through his hair; this was way too stressful.

There was a knock on his door. Curious, he searched for whose Spiritual Pressure it was and was surprised to recognize Karin. What was she doing?

"I'm coming in." She spoke and pushed the door open carefully, spotting him at his desk. "And I thought you might have been asleep."

"What would you have done if I was?" He questioned curiously.

"Probably left." She shrugged, walking over to him after shutting the door behind her. "I just looked in to make sure, glad I did."

"Was there something you needed?"

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Her voice got a little quiet as she continued.

His expression darkened and he turned away from her. That was all the answer she needed.

"You should spend more time with him." She leaned up against his desk.

"It'll only make it harder to lose him." Toshiro frowned, still not looking at her.

"But it'll make him happy. A lot of people would kill to spend more time with family before they died." Karin's voice cracked a little and Toshiro turned to look at her, realizing she was talking about her mother. He grasped her hand gently in his and she squeezed it lightly.

"As much as I want to I'm running out of time." He told her. "If I can't earn the other marks soon my father will die for nothing, the realms will fall apart."

She sighed heavily.

"Man this sucks." She grumbled.

"Yes, it does."

Another uncomfortable silence. He'd been in too many of those today. He opened his mouth to say something but Karin beat him to it, also moving to sit on his lap, which surprised him.

"I still think you should hang out with him, maybe he can help you." She said, remaining firm on her earlier idea.

It was his turn to sigh.

"I can't, Karin. But trust me, I want nothing more than to do that." His gaze turned downwards. "There's nothing I can do about it…"

"Guess not…" Karin leaned into him, laying her head on his shoulder. He responded by putting his arms around her.

"I may not be able to do anything about my father's death…but I can do something about everyone else."

Not shifting her position, she gazed up at him, that entrancing teal gaze focused on her and only her.

"I'll do my best to help everyone get stronger, no matter what." He promised. "I will not let Dethmaiyn gain the upper hand over us."

"So you won't avoid everyone?" She lifted her head up.

"No, I won't avoid them. I'll help where I can, but I might have to leave to complete certain tasks."

"At least you'll help."

"Any time I can, I will." His grip around her tightened. "No one will die if I can help it."

She smiled at him before putting her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. He didn't hesitate to return her embrace.

"You should probably go back before your brother worries about you." He whispered, tone playful.

"Oh…yeah." She leaned back, frowning. "Jeez, I'm seventeen, he should leave me alone."

"Adult or not you're still his little sister."

"But you're not exactly some bad boy off the street that he needs to worry about, he knows you."

"Or does he?" The mischievous smirk that crossed his face made her both nervous and happy. It was strange to see him so relaxed, but she was glad he was relaxed with her.

"Anyway." She rolled her eyes. "I think he can handle me staying a little longer."

"You Kurosakis are so stubborn." He sighed lightly.

"Shut up, you love me."

"I suppose I'll have to get used to it then."

She smirked.

"But really," He lifted a hand and tapped her on the forehead with the back of it, "you should probably go back or he'll have MY head for keeping you here."

With a huff she made to stand before freezing, noticing something interesting. Confused, Toshiro was unprepared for her to latch onto his right wrist and hold up his hand, looking at where his birthmark glowed faintly.

"What?" He questioned, not liking the forced movement and feeling a little self-conscious. The mark was like a label, he didn't like people staring at it.

"Look." She responded with a grin, letting go of his hand.

He raised an eyebrow at her before turning his hand to look at the icy-blue mark there. There upon his hand were two more symbols, the mark still glowing white as they became permanent. North for Tranquility and South for Honor. He had three now, and all from one conversation. Eyes still wide in shock, he tried to think of what he could have said to earn them. Was it his promise? He guessed it was. Two marks closer to becoming king, closer to taking on his father's role so the man could die happy knowing the worlds wouldn't fall to pieces.

And it was thanks to a certain raven haired young woman sitting on his lap. Smiling, he let his hand fall and looked at her.

"You really are a miracle, Karin." He said softly, causing her to blush. While she was flustered he kissed her lightly on the cheek, her blush darkening, and let go of her so she could stand. "Go get some sleep, you'll need it."

"Okay." She stood slowly and headed out of the room, looking a little dazed. Amused, Toshiro watched her leave with a smile.

After she was gone, he returned to his work, thinking how he could get the fourth mark. After that he just had to complete one final test, though he had no idea what it was, and he could succeed his father, he could protect the realms from chaos and demons. He got no sleep that night, though Karin slept very well.

The next morning the two of them stood with Ichigo atop the palace roof.

"So if your dragons aren't coming, how do we get over there?" Ichigo asked, motioning to the forested kingdom.

"By me!" Sofia replied in a sing-song voice while jumping onto the young prince's shoulder. Toshiro raised an eyebrow at her but did not push her off. "My master is waiting, she'll get you all started."

"What do you mean, 'by me'?" Ichigo frowned, confused.

"Oh come on, I'm a shape-shifter." The feline rolled her eyes and jumped down to the ground, glowing brightly as she did so. Toshiro took a few steps away to give her room as she grew.

Her fur-covered dragon from now stood before them.

"Right, shape-shifter."

"You can be dense sometimes, Ichi." Karin snickered.

"Shut up!"

Sofia snorted at them and they got on, Toshiro not doing so. Karin was about to question why when the white dragon took off for the Kingdom of Magika and the prince was left behind. She had thought he was coming with them. Then again, the others needed to be looked after. That didn't mean she was any less disappointed.

The trip was a little rough, as Sofia's dragon form wasn't the biggest, but they made it there in good time. Morphing back to her cat form, the familiar led them on towards the mountain in the distance. Being his first time there, Ichigo was a little nervous with the animals hiding in the shadows, watching them. Not all of them were harmless. A large tiger even moved out of the trees to get a look at them before being shooed off by Sofia as she hissed dangerously, grumbling as it left.

"What's with all the animals?" Ichigo asked.

"My master feels more relaxed with creatures than people. She has a natural talent with them." Sofia answered.

"Uh-huh."

Awaiting them at the base of the mountain was Ruala, and, to their surprise, Toshiro. He smirked a little at their shocked expressions.

"But…you were just…when did…?" Karin quickly lost her train of thought as she tried to figure out how he got there before they did.

"I had to speak to Nakryin anyway, so I teleported here with her."

"But Sofia said she was already here." Ichigo frowned.

"No, I said she was waiting." The feline snickered, jumping onto the Reaper's shoulder. "Pay more attention, Strawberry."

"That's not my name!"

Laughing, the cat returned to the ground and walked over to her master.

"These trials will tax you heavily." Ruala warned.

"But it'll be worth it in the end." Ichigo replied.

She nodded before stepping forward and holding out her hands.

"I'm sorry but I must take your zanpaktous. These trials were not meant to be done with them."

"We know." Karin somewhat reluctantly removed her zanpaktou from her waist and handed it over. Homuratei grumbled quite a bit but understood it was necessary.

With a bit of grumbling on his own part Ichigo handed over Zangetsu. The two swords were given to Sofia as the familiar morphed into a large bird and carried them up to the top of the mountain, their wielders feeling very unhappy about it. But they were determined to get this power, and if Toshiro could handle it, so could they.

"One at a time, so the mountain can adjust your paths." Ruala told them before stepping aside, the pathway clear.

Before her brother could take lead, Karin stepped forward to start up the path.

"Be careful." Toshiro told her in a softer tone than before, catching Ichigo's attention.

"I'll be fine, stop worrying." Karin patted his head, making him scowl, before she headed on up.

Ichigo waited until she was far out of earshot before stepping forward and grabbing the front of the young prince's shirt, getting very close to his face. Ruala tensed but Toshiro held a hand up to order she stay put; he knew what the orange haired Reaper wanted.

"Now listen here, you." The Ex-Substitute growled. "You may be a prince now but if anything happens to my sister I'll-"

"I would never hurt her." Toshiro cut him off. "And I would gladly risk my life to protect her."

"Tch, I don't doubt that… But still, if she ever tells me you're being an ass you'll be needing an heir yourself…and not with my sister!"

"Though I would never go along with it, she is seventeen, Kurosaki, so she can do what she wants."

"Oh you just wait." The Reaper growled but let him go. Toshiro just fixed his shirt, still looking unnervingly calm for something Ichigo thought would be a sensitive subject. Well, that was one way to prove he was serious.

"You should get going." The white haired being remarked.

Ichigo grunted, arms crossed, and didn't shift for a minute or two.

"You better look after my sister, Toshiro." He demanded. "I'm trusting you."

And then he was off up the mountain to get even stronger than he already was. Silent, Ruala stood next to the young prince, watching the young man leave.

"Would that be considered his approval?" She asked.

"To be honest…I don't know." Toshiro replied. "But I'll go out on a limb and say it was. I have a feeling, though, that someone warmed him up to the idea."

"Maybe he's fine with the idea of being tied to the Soul King?"

"He's not that kind of person. As you heard, he'd have his zanpaktou to my neck the second I did something wrong." He sighed. "Well, if he can get over it, I suppose I have nothing to worry about now except demons."

"What about her father?" Ruala questioned as he walked away.

The young prince froze.

"Let's not think about that."

* * *

**Secrets, symbols and sappiness! And Ichigo being his usual self XD A lot in one chapter but i'm trying to get to...uh...can't tell you...epic stuff ^^ Anyway, there's gonna be a time skip, no need to go through the trials AGAIN. Karin's first spirit is Aquafang, the water wolf that helped out Toshiro many chapters ago for his fourth trial. I'm not sure what elements Ichigo would be so ya'll can make up his first spirit ^^ They won't be in here so it doesn't matter, but Karin's going to mention hers at some point or another so I thought i'd give ya'll a heads up. (I limit myself to the thirteen elements of Organization XIII from Kingdom HEarts with the additive of Death for Ruala's twin(she'll be in here eventually))**

**One more thing! I've decided to split this into two stories with the second one being called Soul King, since obviously he'll be kind at the end of this one. Would that be a spoiler? I mean, it's kinda obvious...I can't just kill him, then there wouldn't be a story...but anyway, the end of this one will be him as king and so throughout the second story he will be too, hence the name. I gotta start planning it out so I can get a few chapters ahead ^^ Enjoy!**


	57. Moving Ahead

"Ugh." Karin sat at the base of the mountain, exhausted completely. "This trial is way too damn hard."

She fell onto her back and stared up at the sky, irritated. It had been three weeks now since she'd started the trials, and though she'd hoped to finish them as fast as Toshiro had, it seemed that was not to be. She was still on the third trial. But her brother was only on the second, so she had some cause for celebration. Controlling Spiritual Pressure in such ways was definitely not a Kurosaki's strong point.

"Wonder how everyone else is doing…" She mused aloud. "Haven't left this island in three weeks."

With a grunt of effort she stood up and headed back towards the mansion, wondering if her brother was off yet. Most likely not. He never quit.

Her dragon flew down to greet her. After the dragonlings were done hatching she and Myndræl had stayed for a few days to help out before returning to their partners. Out of thirty or so eggs, only nine had hatched. The dragons really were having a rough time surviving. The number of surviving dragonlings got fewer each time, though there was some hope. This hatching had two more survivors than last time.

"Any luck?" Karin asked her dragon.

"Just embers." Dyrilæn snorted. She'd been trying to get her breath for the past few weeks and Karin's massive increase in power, about twice as much as before, the same amount her brother had when invading the Soul Society to save Rukia, had helped a lot. Where once was just smoke was now sparks and the occasional scorching flame.

"We'll get there." Karin promised her dragon. "Just wait, we'll get there."

There was a passing shadow and a flash of blue and their walk became a jog, eager to greet the one who was now heading to the same destination as them. Even if he'd only been away for a few days to help the others, it was always a relief to see him return. And if he wasn't helping others he was training his own powers. She'd been told he'd learned the name of his third new attack but couldn't show her as it was hard to control, therefore dangerous, much like his Hyouten Hyakkasou.

Sure enough, the large blue ice dragon, now at least seventeen feet tall, stood near to the mansion of trees with his white haired partner standing beside him. Upon spotting Karin running towards him, Toshiro donned an amused expression.

'_**Only away for a few days and she acts like you've been gone for weeks.**_' Hyorinmaru snickered.

Ignoring that comment, Toshiro let the raven haired teen tackle-hug him, staying up this time as she'd knocked him over before, and hugged her back.

"Progress?" He questioned, though he felt he knew the answer.

She grimaced, happy mood somewhat deflated.

"Nothing." She huffed. "All this 'finite control' stuff is hard."

"It's because you're a Kurosaki." He teased her and she scowled.

"Shut up!" She poked him.

He laughed and she found it hard to stay mad at him.

"Come on, I came to see Sylfie, might as well come with me."

Together they headed inside to greet the Greenleaf Family. Karin had noticed how Toshiro used first names more often, and not just when there was more than one person with the same last name. He still used last names for certain people, but for those he seemed to consider close friends he'd finally started using first names.

In fact, she wasn't the only one to notice. Everyone who had come here from the Soul Society had noticed the obvious difference in Toshiro's behavior, his relaxed stance around them, how he didn't anger as easily while smiling more often. It still baffled some of them, still finding themselves startled when he used a first name or replied with a grin.

"There are my lovebirds!" Sylfie's sing-song voice broke into Karin's thoughts as the green haired woman appeared behind them, a hand on their shoulders that forced them closer together. They both scowled at her in annoyance while simultaneously going a bit pink in the cheeks. "Oh don't give me that face, nephew, you haven't been very discreet lately."

"I don't see a reason to be, that's all." Toshiro snapped back. "I just don't like it when you shout about it."

"How cute!"

"Stop that!"

"So Karin," Sylfie suddenly shifted her attention to the Substitute, startling her and Toshiro, "have you ever danced before?"

"Er, not really." Karin replied, confused.

"Oh, that won't do." Sylfie pouted. "This way!"

Still confused, Toshiro watched as his aunt pushed Karin away to some other room. It took him a moment to put his thoughts back together and follow after them.

"I hope your friends are ready for this." Ralæn snickered, having been sitting inside watching the whole thing. "I remember your reaction to mom's parties."

"A few of them will go right along with it." The young prince told her. "Thankfully you don't have sake."

"Only because mom's a total lightweight and a terrifying drunk." The blonde actually shivered as she thought about it. "No we never have any alcohol around here."

"Good, because if Rangiku got a hold of it we'd be in trouble."

"I don't doubt that, she's pretty crazy." Ralæn stood. "I heard she got Bankai."

"Rangiku did?" Toshiro looked surprised. "I know Hisagi and Kuchiki managed to get theirs…she must have got it when I was gone and forgot to mention it…"

"Ha, for a minute I thought you doubted her ability to obtain Bankai." His cousin teased and he frowned.

"I don't doubt her ability, I just doubt her work methods. She's a complete slacker."

"Well this must have been pretty important to her." Her hand rested momentarily on his shoulder as she passed by him. "Guess she still feels the need to have her Captain's back."

"Except I'm not her Captain anymore." Toshiro's voice was emotionless now, something Ralæn took note of.

"Four months away and you think she's forgotten about you and moved on? Have a little more faith in your Lieutenant."

She left then, not waiting for any kind of reply, though he wasn't sure how to. If he was honest with himself, he had hoped Rangiku would move on, but he'd gone back too early for that. She probably still saw him as the confused little boy from the Rukongai, even when he was her Captain. When this whole prince business had started, he felt like he was that boy again, scared and confused, not sure what to do. He was still a little scared. He didn't know how many friends he would lose in this war.

He quickly pushed those morbid thoughts aside and went to find Karin and Sylfie. The latter was planning to have the Soul Reapers come and take a 'break' from training, and Toshiro knew what that entailed. This would be an interesting day.

While Sylfie introduced Karin to the more medieval celtic fashion, Toshiro looked back on what all had happened. For humans the Kurosaki siblings were progressing through the Five Trials quickly despite their difficulty in the very first trial. He had been unhappy seeing Karin come down the mountain completely exhausted and even injured, not to mention the mood her brother was in. It was a good thing he was also too tired to do anything about it.

Moving on, they were doing extremely well for humans. As for the other Reapers, their power had almost doubled, and now there were three who had learned Bankai when they hadn't before; Shuhei Hisagi, Rukia Kuchiki and recently Rangiku Matsumoto. That was a massive improvement and a stress reliever, knowing how fast they were progressing, even if they didn't like their teachers much. The commanders weren't too fond of them, either, but that's how it always was.

"What do you think?" Sylfie's voice caught his attention and he looked at the girls to see his aunt pushing Karin in front of a mirror to let her see the outfit on her.

"Um, well." The teen looked rather uncomfortable, messing with the knee-length skirt, dark red in color, the bottom hem black lined with gold. Her shirt was fire red with long sleeves that hung loosely at the elbow. An orange-gold cloth was tied around her waist. The color was clearly meant to represent her main element of fire and it fit her rather well. "I don't usually where skirts."

"Just for today." Sylfie promised. "I'm getting all the girls to dress up, don't worry. Maybe a few of the boys."

She looked pointedly at Toshiro.

"No." He replied immediately.

His aunt stuck her tongue out before turning her attention back to Karin and taking her hair out of its ponytail to let it fall around her shoulders. The teen grumbled but couldn't refuse that she did like the look, outfit and all. It was different from what girls normally wore in Japan for special occasions, and it wasn't a bad kind of different.

"Do I just walk around barefoot?" She asked, pointing out her lack of footwear.

"I do." Sylfie shrugged, grinning. "The grass is soft and there won't be anything harmful to step on."

"If you say so…"

The green haired woman moved herself quickly to Toshiro's side, though he was unfazed by her presence. He was, however, unnerved by the grin on her face.

"So, what say you?" His aunt asked quietly.

"Why are you asking me?" He grumbled.

"She'll feel better about it if you like it too."

Sighing, Toshiro gave in and took a moment to actually look over Karin's new outfit. It fit her perfectly, which made him wonder how Sylfie knew what size to get, and the colors made her look like she had an aura of fire, and not the one she had when angry…a soft flame that lit up her beauty. The more he looked the harder he found it was to stop. Sylfie beamed, victorious. She knew how to get a guy's attention.

Karin spotted him staring.

"What?" She snapped, suddenly feeling self-conscious. She stood awkwardly under his gaze.

Her nervousness grew as he stood and approached her, Sylfie watching in surprised curiosity.

"You look beautiful." The young prince told her softly with a smile, kissing her lightly on the cheek.

"Th-thank you." She stuttered, blushing wildly.

They both paused as they sensed the return of a certain orange haired young man.

"Oh what terrible timing." Sylfie scowled, knowing the older sibling was still a stiff when it came to the relationship of his little sister and the prince. She left the room quickly to stall him.

"I like how she's all for it." Karin snickered.

"She's just nosy." Toshiro grimaced.

"Everybody's gonna be showing up soon, right?" Karin stepped away, messing with the skirt again. "Might as well get outside before Ichi throws a fit."

"Then stop fidgeting." He grabbed the hand pulling on the sash-belt to stop her from messing it up. "You'll want to see your brother's face when he sees you."

She laughed at the image and hurried outside ahead of him.

As Toshiro followed at a slower pace, he was rewarded upon exit by the utterly shocked expression on Ichigo's face and the sight of his aunt rolling in laughter in the grass, Ralæn snickering off to the side. Now finding it fun, Karin teased her brother for several more minutes.

Rukia and Rangiku arrived and were quick to comment Karin on her new outfit. With more people, Sylfie was back on her feet and ushering the girls inside to do something similar for them. The boys that had arrived with them were ignored; Kadin, Kensei, Hisagi, and Ikkaku were completely overlooked.

Upon spotting Kadin, Ralæn rushed inside. Toshiro noticed but said nothing of it.

"Oi…" Ichigo approached the prince. "Is Rukia gonna be wearing something like Karin?"

"Not the same but similar." Toshiro smirked. "Today is going to be quite the culture shock for all of you. My mother's side of the family is Celtic."

"Ah…"

"Watch out though, she did say she'd try to dress up the boys as well."

"Oh no, not me." Ikkaku sat on the ground with full refusal to be dressed up.

The others soon showed up, most of the girls ushered inside and one or two of the boys – those remaining wished luck to Ichigo, Shuhei, Kisuke and Kyoraku – to be introduced to this new style and culture.

"Hey you." Ralæn called out, motioning to Kadin. "Come here."

Curious, the silver haired Captain stood and followed her inside, wondering what the blonde wanted. Toshiro was about to follow when Myndræl stopped him.

"Some of the other dragons are coming; they'll want to meet you." He reported.

The young prince gave a heavy sigh and stayed put despite wanting to know what was going to happen to his successor of Squad Ten. No doubt the older twin was taking him to the younger, his mother, and that was something he was interested in. Could Kadin's memories be restored? If anyone could it would be his own mother, so this was probably their last hope of him remembering who he was.

But he couldn't leave now. Most dragons didn't like the humans and so he would be needed to keep them calm.

Inside, Karin was leaving to go back outside with Rukia beside her, the petite Reaper wearing colors of lavender and white with slight blue here and there, her dress similar to Karin's but with shorter sleeves that were split and more ruffles on the skirt, when she spotted the Squad Ten Captain and the older twin.

"I'll be right out." She told the Lieutenant. "Go mess with Ichi, he'll love it."

"Oh I know he will." Rukia grinned mischievously. If anyone liked to tease Ichigo more than his younger sister it was his girlfriend.

They parted and Karin walked deeper into the building where Kadin and Ralæn had gone. During her three weeks of stay here in the Kingdom of Magika she'd explored much of the mansion and so was able to recognize where they were headed: the open area inside where Ælfwyn usually spoke with one of the dragons, more often than not the diamond one when she was off duty.

Hovering by the door she watched the pair approach Ælfwyn inside, the woman not talking to a dragon at the moment but rather playing a flute, a beautiful sound that echoed lightly in the air, as if the wind itself were singing along.

"Hey sis, over here." Ralæn called out.

The younger twin stopped playing, the air going silent, and the woman looked over at them. Her gaze immediately settled on the Captain, her stance going stiff with shock.

'_What's going on?_' Karin wondered, not having been informed of Kadin's heritage.

"Er…" Kadin scratched his head nervously. "I'm…Kadin Thane, Captain of Squad Ten."

"I know who you are." Ælfwyn said in a breathless voice. "But…how?"

"Well, uh…I don't know…"

Still spying, Karin wondered what was going on. How did Ælfwyn know him? Why was she so shocked? And why did Kadin look so nervous? He was quiet and didn't like being in the spotlight, but he'd never been this fidgety before.

Suddenly, Ælfwyn rushed over and trapped the confused Captain in a tight hug, tears threatening to fall. Kadin went stiff, uncomfortable with this unfamiliar gesture. Yet in the back of his mind it was familiar, which kept him from trying to get her off as quickly as he could and leaving.

'_Are they dating?_' Karin mused. '_No, Captain Thane's a bit young for that, though I'm not really sure how old Ælfwyn actually is._'

'_**Sylfie told you that their race lived for a very, very long time, even in the World of the Living.**_' Homuratei's faint voice said. Toshiro had warned her about how she wouldn't be able to hear her zanpaktou as clear or as often as normal during the first two or three trials.

'_So she'd be pretty old…I don't know much about Captain Thane._'

Feeling awkward about the spying now, Karin quickly left and headed outside. She wondered if Toshiro knew and made a mental note to ask him later.

For now, it was time to relax, to take a break from weeks of harsh training and learn a bit of culture. Besides, what person would miss a royal party?

* * *

**I promised myself not to get too into the romance but lots of people keep asking for it, and it's so easy to write even when I have no experience in a love life what-so-ever. T^T**

**Anyway, a little filler for now while I try to think of how to finish this off. Now the Soul Reapers get to experience the Irish side of life and have a little fun ^^ Oh, and Kadin meets his mom. Enjoy!**


	58. The Irish Side of Royalty

**Here are the songs for this chapter:**

**Nil sin La by Celtic Woman(youtube will put the accents in)**

**The Butterfly by Celtic Woman(I like this group a lot, can't you tell? XD )**

**Strings of Fire (the girls always play this one for new people because they know it looks cool going that fast ^^)**

* * *

Including Myndræl and Dyrilæn there were five dragons with them. Dimara left the watch post to her younger emerald sibling Emoralin and came to join them, along with Lilianna and a tall black dragon called Firzara.

"Lord of Dragons." Firzara greeted Toshiro with a bow. "It is nice to see you again."

"And you as well." Toshiro replied easily. Dragons always expected a reply for greetings.

"Lord of Dragons?" Renji questioned.

"As the wielder of two dragons he has been chosen as our king." Firzara answered, glaring down at the red-head with eyes of amber. Right, the black dragon was from a ways out in the wilds, one who did not think humans were worth his time.

"You have a seriously crazy amount of power." Shinji snorted. "Politically and Spiritually."

"Not like I want to." Toshiro grumbled back.

"Let's not argue." Lilianna stepped in, walking over to sit between Retsu and Sajin, eager to greet the new faces. "Lady Greenleaf was kind enough to let us all gather here. Shall we sing together again?"

"Sing?" Rangiku turned to Toshiro, along with several others.

He gulped and turned away.

"But of course." Lilianna smiled kindly. "These songs are meant to be sung together. Anyone is welcome to sing along if they so choose and Lady Greenleaf will do her best to help you feel the rhythm."

"Enough chatter!" Sylfie arrived as if her name had summoned her. "You people are all stiffs, so let's have a little fun!"

"What kind of fun?" Yachiru giggled happily.

"Well missy, how about a dance, eh?" Sylfie winked.

Laughing happily, the pink haired Lieutenant jumped down into the center. She'd willingly tried out the new style with a pink skirt and short sleeved pink tunic lined with red, golden swirls across the fabric.

"Ooh, let's do THAT song!" Sofia called out from her master's shoulder, Ruala no longer wearing her uniform, once more in her celtic dance outfit. The others were surprised that they could see her face now.

"Perfect!" Sylfie replied to the feline.

"What song?" Soi Fon demanded, confused.

"Just go along with it." Toshiro replied.

Chatter ceased as Sofia morphed into her panther form and played a beat on the drums. Another new song. They had said it like they'd done it before, but Toshiro was sure he'd never heard it. Perhaps they had done it a long time before. After a few sets, Sylfie and Ælfwyn, who had come out earlier looking a little stressed and out of it, sang along together in what the prince recognized as Irish.

"Chuaigh mé isteach i dteach aréir, is d'iarr mé cairde ar mhnaoi an leanna. Is é dúirt sí liom "Ní bhfaighidh tú deor. Buail an bóthar is gabh abhaile."

Now they sang in English, Ralæn stepping forth with a violin in hand, an instrument she was expert at. The Reapers were watching in fascination while Yachiru danced along happily with Sylfie, the green-haired woman showing her the movements slowly while never missing a note.

"I came by a house last night, and told the woman I am staying, I said to her 'the moon is bright, and my fiddle tuned for playing.'"

Ralæn cut in with her violin playing that quickly had those who weren't already hooked captivated.

"Tell me that the night is long, tell me that the moon is glowing," Ruala stepped in and joined in with her voice, a clear tone that threw those who only knew her for her silence for a loop, "fill my glass, I'll sing a song," Now Ralæn sang as well, "and we'll start the music flowing!"

"Anybody else?" Sylfie laughed, letting Yachiru onto her shoulders. The pink haired girl was having so much fun it was a wonder her sides didn't ache from laughter.

"Ooh, me!" Rangiku jumped up, having gotten the gist of how the dance went and following along with Ælfwyn and Sylfie.

The chorus started up and the four celtic girls started up their song again, now with two Reapers dancing with them.

"Níl sé ina lá, níl a ghrá, níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go maidin, níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go fóill, solas ard atá sa ghealaigh."

"It's not day nor yet awhile," Sylfie sang alone before Ælfwyn joined in, "I can see the starlight shining. Níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go fóill, solas ard atá sa ghealaigh."

Ralæn got her turn with a violin part again, some of those in the audience watching clapping along to the beat. A few of them knew Ralæn as a fighter but she put just as much passion into her playing. They started the song again, a fast pace that made more of them want to get up and dance, though they held back.

"Fill the glasses one more time and never heed the empty bottle. Turn the water into wine and turn the party up full throttle!"

If Ralæn's playing before had been fast, her pace was quicker now and really got their attention, and she was even managing to dance a bit as she played. It was fascinating to watch, a fast paced music they weren't used to but yet could still hit right to the heart. Was this the magic of the elven line?

"Don't go out into the cold, where the wind and rain are blowing, for the fire is flaming gold, and in here the music's flowing." The chorus was starting up again and even the dragons were joining in, the Reapers trying their voice at Irish before they realized that they were singing along. "Níl sé ina lá, níl a ghrá, níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go maidin, níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go fóill, solas ard atá sa ghealaigh."

Sylfie paused in her dancing and started alone.

"Tell me that the night is long, tell me that the moon is gleaming," her daughters joined in, "Fill my glass, I'll sing a song, and we'll keep the music streaming," multiple voices joined in, Toshiro spotting Karin singing along and smiling, "Until all the songs are sung!"

"Níl sé ina lá, níl a ghrá, níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go maidin, níl sé ina lá is ní bheidh go fóill, solas ard atá sa ghealaigh."

They repeated the chorus again, dancing all the while with a few more joining in, Shunsui having a little too much fun with it, and having a roaring good time. Despite the earlier awkwardness and surge of blurry memories, Kadin stood and joined in, catching Ruala's hand and dancing with her.

The chorus sounded once more, Ralæn playing her tune on the violin with a demanding pace, and near the end the girls did an echo effect by singing at different times before ending all at once with one last twirl or flick of the wrist.

"Whoo, that was fun!" Rangiku cheered while she sat down in the grass. "Hey Captain, I didn't know you were a dancer."

"You never asked." Kadin replied, still standing next to Ruala. The guardian seemed a bit nervous in his presence, but not in a frightened way.

"Let's see how many more of you I can get to dance." Sylfie grinned mischievously, making some of them pale.

"Oh come on, it was interesting, but I wouldn't dance to it." Shinji shrugged.

Ralæn began to play a tune, slower than the song she had just participated in. There was nothing to accompany it, just her violin playing out a song into the air at a slow pace. Giggling, Yachiru twirled around happily. After a while Ruala grabbed a tambourine and added to the music, Ralæn grinning at her but keeping her tune going. These girls could do nearly anything and keep on playing.

She slowed only to suddenly speed up, doubling her pace but still playing the same song. They started to clap along, wanting her to continue, Ruala still playing along with the tambourine and doing a small dance to it. The older twin got faster again, increasing the tempo and moving the bow over the strings at a surprising speed. They doubted she could go any faster, but faster she did, if only by a little bit. A few turned to Shinji with smirks, daring him to go against it, and he just shrugged.

"You try?" Ralæn smirked this time, holding the violin out to him.

"Er, I can't play."

"Then hush."

She placed the instrument back on her shoulder and played something that Toshiro actually recognized, the song she had played in tandem with Sylfie when he had first watched them dance here with his father. Sure enough, the green-haired woman snagged another violin and the two of them played it out like a battle of the violins.

While they played, Yachiru latched onto Ruala and got the shy blonde to dance along with her. While in battle the woman was a silent killer, but music brought out a completely different side of her they had no prior knowledge of, a smile on her face and a light laugh that they couldn't help but smile to. The Greenleaf girls had it, too.

"Humans are strange." Firzara said, though he was smiling, his tail hitting the ground to the beat.

"How do you know one of them isn't your partner?" Myndræl commented, Toshiro looking back at them in interest.

"Doubtful." The shadow dragon snorted. "But to be honest, I would prefer these over the barbarians found in the wilds. Dethmaiyn has yet to convert them, thank goodness, but they are troublesome nonetheless."

"You shouldn't judge a race by the few." Toshiro warned.

"I suppose not." The black dragon nodded in agreement. "Well, while I still find them strange…I suppose I could give them a chance."

"As a pure breed Dark Dragon you have more power over the other darkness-type dragons, meaning you could probably tell them to be a little more open-minded when it comes to interactions with people."

Amber eyes locked with teal as the dragon contemplated those words. The prince had a point, as the Shadow Keeper, the dragon in charge of any others with a main power over darkness, he had a lot of influence over the other dragons, some of which were thinking of siding with Dethmaiyn. While they controlled shadows they were not all evil, and Firzara despised the shadow users that took to the calling of evil simply because they thought their powers were similar.

"I will take that to thought, Lord of Dragons."

"I suppose that's what you're calling me until I'm king?"

Firzara chuckled.

"It was decided you couldn't be considered the Dragon King until you became a king, so yes, that is the title we have decided upon for the time being. Would you prefer a different name?"

"I don't mind, just curious." Toshiro glanced at Kadin. "Kadin Thane has a shadow type zanpaktou, would a dark dragon bond with him?"

"The boy?" Firzara looked at him curiously. "I feel no connection, but perhaps another might. Then again, Keepers are never meant to bond with another, it would cause them to be swayed. Our thoughts must be solely about the dragons, not what our partners would think."

"There's nothing wrong with partners." Myndræl bristled.

"I never said there was." Firzara snapped back. "I simply said the Keepers cannot have one, because our duty is to oversee the dragons, not the people."

"Hitsugaya."

The person called looked away from the dragons to see Ruala standing near him, a dazed look on her face. What's more, her left eye was golden. Time. He glanced around quickly, most of the Soul Reapers distracted or uninterested. A few close by seemed curious but could not hear them with the music. The only ones close enough were Karin beside him and Soi Fon a foot or two away.

"The dragons choose a king of frost, demons crawl with power of fear." She recited in a monotone voice.

'_So it was another line to that prophecy…it really does seem to be about me, if the first part is anything to go by._'

The color returned to amber, signaling that was all he was going to get. Karin glanced at him, confused, and Soi Fon frowned in thought, having no clue what the guardian was talking about. A code of some sort?

Both girls saw Toshiro simply nod and Ruala walked away, returning to her family to join in the dancing again as if it had never happened.

"What was that about?" Karin asked quietly, leaning closer.

"Don't worry about it; I'm still not sure myself." He answered, which was half true.

And so the festivities continued on without pause, Dimara and Firzara eventually heading back to Dragon Isle. Toshiro thought it would never end until the sun fell when a messenger appeared beside him looking flustered, panting a bit from trying to get to the kingdom. Due to the magic of the place it was impossible to just Flash Step right over to it so the message must have been urgent for him to try so hard.

"Get your breath back." Toshiro said to him as the man panted heavily. He stood and waited patiently for whatever it was that had him so worked up.

"It's…Soul Society…demons there." He managed to work out.

The music had happened to have a pause and everyone stiffened or stood, the joy of the moment replaced with agitation. Half of Soul Society's force was currently having fun, which meant the Seireitei would be in big trouble.

"Party's over, we've gotta head back." Kensei grimaced, latching onto his zanpaktou.

"Those who want to return head to the Tenchuren." Toshiro ordered, knowing he couldn't keep them back, and that it would be a bad idea to. Demons were powerful; the Soul Society needed its Captains.

So much for a fun day.

* * *

**Okay, getting back on track. Onwards to the ending! Then I can start doing the sequel ^^ Enjoy!**


	59. Demons in Soul Society

"Why can't I go!?" Karin growled at Kirio.

"Until you finish the Five Trials you're not allowed your zanpaktou and without it you cannot fight demons." The guardian spoke gravely. "You and your brother must wait here until you have finished. Trust in your comrades."

"Jeez." Ichigo scowled, turning to those who were heading back to the Soul Society as back up against the demons.

They were all back in uniform with their weapons at their side, expressions serious as they waited to leave with little to no patience left.

"Come on, we've got demons to fight." Kenpachi growled.

"There are two Royal Guards already there." Kirio reminded them. "I assure you, nothing serious will have happened and we are going as fast as possible."

"That's not what I'm worried about. They'll kill off all the fun ones."

"Let's go!" Soi Fon snapped at them, stepping inside. Several others were already there.

About half of those who had come to the Soul King's Realm for training were now leaving to protect their own home. Those left felt they still needed time to train before going back, and the Kurosakis couldn't be of any help until they'd finished the Five Trials, their zanpaktous at the top of the mountain where they couldn't access them.

"Be careful." Toshiro warned them all. "Avoid getting hit with the Fear, it can paralyze you."

"We'll keep a look out for it." Nanao nodded her reply, bowing before joining the others with her Captain.

The Tenchuren closed its doors and was quickly shot to the other realm. With the reinforcements on their way, the others felt a little more relaxed and began to head back.

"Damn." Karin growled and headed back towards Dyrilæn. "I've gotta finish these trials."

"Oi, wait for me!" Ichigo ran over, as he didn't have a dragon to take him to the kingdom.

Still standing on the road, Toshiro watched everyone rush off to continue their training, the demon attack having startled them and set them on edge. This wasn't good. Kamai surely knew about them all being here or he wouldn't have attacked now. But then surely he knew they would have come back stronger. Why wait three weeks? No, he didn't like this at all.

"What's troubling you?" Myndræl questioned, the now large ice dragon bending his head down to his partner's.

"I don't like the situation. If Dethmaiyn wanted to attack while half the main forces were gone, why wait so long?"

"Perhaps he had to get his army together."

"I doubt it." Toshiro started walking towards the palace. "He seems to know my motives before I do, just like how he went after Karin to get to me. He probably knew I would bring others here to help them get stronger. So why wait until they were before sending in his force?"

"He must have confidence in the darkness."

"Whatever it is, he's got something planned, and I have a feeling it won't end well."

"Sacrifices are made in war."

"That doesn't mean I can't try to stop them."

The young prince went inside the palace while Myndræl flew over to the mountain checking on Dyrilæn and her partner.

Back in the Soul Society, those who had gone back jumped immediately into action. They could see the shadows moving throughout the Seireitei, hear the panicked cries of grunts falling under the corruption of Fear, the demons taking advantage and shredding them. Higher seated officers stood better chances, but not even they could resist the darkness of fear.

Grinning madly, Kenpachi jumped right into the fray, Yachiru at his shoulder and Ikkaku branching off towards a different direction to kill his own group and stay out of his Captain's way. The rotted corpse-like demons fell to their blades easily, the Fear not having time to settle in. Their boost in power made these creatures seem easy kills when others had difficulty. Kensei and Shuhei raced back to their Squad barracks, though Shuhei raced off to help Squad Three. Kyoraku and Nanao returned to their own as well, destroying demons as they went. Shinji went quickly to his and found Momo holding her own against a horde, though she looked a little spooked. The arrival of her Captain brought her hope.

Retsu frowned at the amount of destruction caused in such a short time. She watched Nemu and Soi Fon take off in different directions to help their squads before heading towards her own. There would be many injuries from this fight due to the amount of demons here.

"We need to find their leader." Hirako growled as he took down several demons with his Shikai.

"But how can we get past all the demons?" Momo questioned, voice quivering a little as she sent a fireball barreling through demon ranks.

"Just keep chopping, we'll find the bastard eventually."

"O-okay!"

No one knew how the demons got in past the walls. They were just there, as if travelling through the shadows themselves. They didn't doubt that was possible, though, as they saw the creatures shift in the shadows just like they used Flash Step. It made some of them hard to kill. Most of the squads were doing well, only losing a few members. Quick responses from Squad Four under Unohana's guidance helped save many more lives.

But the battle wasn't over until the demons retreated. This could not end until the leader was found.

A hellish red light lit up over the Sokyoku Hill and the demons numbers thinned, congregating towards the light just as moths would gather to a flame in the night. Black bodies climbed the steep rock walls and onto the hill just underneath the floating witch circle, stacking themselves atop each other.

"What the Hell are they doing?" A Squad Twelve officer panicked a bit.

"Clearly whoever is up there is using dark magic to merge the demons together." Mayuri scoffed as he walked past, sword in hand. "Even with numbers they can't defeat us, so they have no choice but to use size. Stupid, really, especially with brutes like Kenpachi around to fight it." He sheathed his sword. "I suppose I best head there so I can collect the body if there is one. These lesser demons vanish to ash once killed."

Attention was quickly turned to the hill as it turned black with the number of demons crawling over it. A rising blob was seen at the hill's top, growing with each new demonic addition. It had no shape as of yet, simply trying to reach the glowing red circle spinning above it. The summoner was not seen, only the mound of merging demons.

Fire erupted on the hill's other side.

Atop the hill, a silver haired woman with ruby eyes spun around to face this new threat, snarling viciously to reveal her fangs. She was garbed in the same red cloak as others before her, such as Garland and Sarcum. Her subject of hate was none other than the Head Captain, a great fire blazing around him with the release of his Shikai, his shirt off to reveal the myriad of scars across his body.

"How dare you set foot on this place, demon." The old man growled at her.

"How dare I?" She hissed back. "The Lord of Fear gave you a chance to give up the prince but you did nothing."

"The Soul King holds our realms together, and so the Soul Prince must take up that duty. Toshiro Hitsugaya has a role to fulfill that we must follow; we would never let him be killed."

"My master is the true Soul King." She spat and Yamamoto narrowed his eyes at her. "He was chosen before that little brat was born. We sent you a warning three weeks ago, Head Captain Yamamoto, to give up the prince or be eradicated." She backed up towards the forming mass of the enormous demon, the lesser ones having finally stopped crawling up the sides. "You have chosen to be massacred!"

"Just try it!" Soi Fon snapped as she and many others Flash Stepped to the hill, weapons at the ready to fight whatever it was forming under that Hellish light.

Giving out a feral growl, the woman vanished in shadows and left them to the demon. Its form continued to shift, giving off a foul odor of death, the sound of demons basically consuming one another sickening to the ear. Shadows seeped out of the skin and approached them; Fear. It was easily burned away by the Head Captain's power.

"What are we waiting for?" Kenpachi grinned devilishly and charged forward.

His Spiritual Pressure enveloped him in a bright yellow glow and he lifted his sword high to strike at the mass of merging bodies.

"Zaraki, wait!" Rose called out, spotting something in the mass of black.

An arm shot out from the mass, thickly muscled arms with wicked claws. It attempted to latch onto the approaching Reaper, but Kenpachi swatted it aside. Another one shot out and this one was cut in half. Two more now, the demons trying to slow down this threat so it could finish forming. Any attempts, however, were easily brushed aside and Kenpachi jumped up, sword high to strike a killing blow. He hoped the blob could survive, otherwise it wasn't worth his time to fight it.

This time an arm didn't shoot out. The creature twisted, revealing a canine-like head with long saber fangs, eyes of blood red latching onto its victim. It opened its jaws wide and reached up to devour the falling Reaper.

"That it?" Kenpachi laughed, the Fear swirling around him doing little but to make him hunger for more, his power crushing it with its increased strength.

Deciding consumption was too risky, the demon pulled his head back and instead lifted a fully formed foreleg to catch him. The fingers were cut off, causing the demon to roar, but Kenpachi realized he would not always be so lucky. The demon was still forming, skin thickening to diamond, black diamond.

With a sweep of his zanpaktou the Head Captain sent a wave of all-consuming fire at the demon, a huge wolf-like creature with wicked horns and the skin of a dragon.

"It cannot be allowed to escape this place." He demanded his Captains and Lieutenants.

"Understood!" They all replied swiftly.

Expecting it to be slow, Soi Fon leaped forward first and hit it with Suzumebachi, the butterfly forming white over the black skin even though she'd barely pierced the skin. She went for another hit but it swatted her aside, now much faster than before. It bared its fangs at her before being distracted by a scythe cutting across his forehead, the long chain at its end leading the demon to Shuhei. The man growled.

"Its skin is too hard." He reported.

"With creatures like this you go for the belly." Shunsui held his two Shikai blades forward before Flash Stepping to its front and swinging upwards. With the short blade he made a jab for the gut.

His blade hardly went in.

"Well," Shunsui frowned, "guess we better keep trying."

He removed his blade as the skin attempted to form around it and Flash Stepped a safe distance back, avoiding getting swept up by those killer claws.

"We better stop playing around." Kensei rolled his shoulder. "We got stronger in the Soul King's Realm, better prove it."

The demon charged forward, jaws wide to catch its prey. As long as there were plenty of people up here it wouldn't leave, so not everyone needed to fight. Kensei Flash Stepped behind the beast and used his air blades technique, which travelled faster than before and with a thinner 'blade'. Being air it could cut right through the armored skin of the demon. Multiple cuts bled along its body and it stopped its charge, letting out a dreadful hiss and spitting its blood up at Kensei.

"Gross." He growled, the black blood splattered on his arm and chest. "Now it's just throwing a fit."

That thought was quickly shoved aside as the blood burned, seeping into his skin. It was then he realized it wasn't really blood, it was concentrated Fear in the blood. Hellish nightmares colored his vision and his body felt like it was on fire. His Inner Hollow laughed wickedly and shot for the chance at control after having been suppressed for so long.

"Captain!" Shuhei called out upon noticing the change in the man's Spiritual Pressure.

"Better avoid that blood." Sajin growled.

The demon lifted up its head towards the victim it had just riddled with Fear, not seeming concerned about the others and taking its time to consume Kensei. Hisagi wouldn't have it and tossed his blade forward, letting it wrap around the neck. The creature barked angrily and turned its bloody gaze on the Lieutenant. Retsu quickly restrained the Captain and pulled him to the side to try and help put down the rising Hollow before the Fear let it free.

"Over here, bastard."

Almost obediently it followed, snarling viciously and charging forward towards the Lieutenant.

It paused as a shadow covered over it, looking up, red eyes widening as an enormous hand holding an enormous sword crashed down on its back, breaking the spine. The demon gave out a pain filled screech that caused many to cover their ears but did not die.

"Dammit." Shinji growled. "How do we kill it?"

"Go for any weak points we normally go for." Soi Fon demanded. "The belly and head are out. Try the back of the neck or the eyes."

"Back of the neck?" Mayuri mused, looking at that point. "Hm… Nemu."

"Yes, Master Mayuri." The girl darted forward on some silent order, Flash Stepping behind the creature.

It hissed and turned away so that her strike ended up hitting its shoulder instead of its neck.

"Oh, it protected that spot." Mayuri noted with interest.

"Now we know what to go for!" Ikkaku was next to jump forward with his Shikai in hand, rushing for the neck. No time to prolong the battle, with the Head Captain watching they had to kill this thing quickly, and there were sure to be more.

The demon spun around and snapped at him, trying to keep its weakness out of blade range. Kyoraku took its other side, forcing it to either turn back around or run. It chose the former, snarling viciously and rocketing forward with its jaws wide. The Squad Eight Captain quickly moved away, Shuhei and Momo striking at its eyes and blinding it. It thrashed its head from side to side, trying to find a victim.

Ikkaku took his chance and struck at the neck. His blade dug in deeply, much deeper than any other part, before cutting through the skin to the side. Making sure to cut the other side as well, Ikkaku leaped off and waited to see what would happen.

Giving out a low moan, the demon fell to the ground. It struggled to remain on all fours, wobbling dangerously, scarring the ground with its talons, still trying to fix its eyesight but having no demons available to do so by consumption. With one last, horrible cry, it fell all the way to the ground and lay still.

"Finally." Izuru sighed. Any longer and they could have lost someone.

"Still, it took at least half of us to kill it." Sajin frowned. "If there's ever more than one or two we might be in trouble."

"And we have Captain Muguruma to see to." Retsu pointed out the gray-haired man struggling to put down the concentrated Fear. It was too much at once for the first time and the effects of it were quite clear. This Fear was a troublesome thing that Toshiro could not truly explain to them other than it was dangerous and that Ruala Nakryin could cure it. Hopefully she would come soon, but in the meantime they would have to restrain the Squad Nine Captain in case his Hollow took over.

Though many were lost to the demons at the start of the attack, the main force was unhurt and brought hope to those below, knowing they still had a chance at survival as long as they were around. Squads without Captains or Lieutenants were watched over by the others so as not to be left unguarded. They had a victory against the demons; a lucky victory but a victory no less, with Mayuri taking the body of the demon to study on them as well as information from Nemu about the Soul King's Realm. The power they had earned made it all seem so easy and they almost dreaded to know how it would have ended had they not gone to the Soul King's Realm. They had Toshiro to thank for that.

While Soul Society took a well needed recovery rest, those left in said realm were training hard to be as strong as they could be, with Ichigo and Karin fighting through the trials, determined to finish them and reclaim their zanpaktous with more power than ever.

* * *

**Closing in on the end here, hopefully. I wrote it out to be just another two or three chapters but, knowing me...it'll be more like seven or eight I'll try to keep it short without making it abrupt or weird or anything. Enjoy!**


	60. Desperation

After a week of relentless training she hadn't gotten anywhere.

"Stop trying to force it." The wind feline, Airwing, sighed. She was a blue feline with large blue wings, white swirling throughout her fur and belly soft lavender, eyes the dark orange of sunset. "You can't force wind into a place it doesn't want to be, you have to coax it there, lead it on. Air travels down the easier route, so give it one and it will follow."

"Argh!" Karin growled, scrunching her hair into her fists in frustration. "How do I give it an easier route? That's like trying to make water go uphill!"

"The Soul Prince can do it." Airwing noted. "His ice follows his every command, heading straight into the sky when he leads it there. Yours should be easier, as fire always travels up, and wind, as I said, goes to the path of least resistance. You're giving it far too much resistance."

Growling, Karin closed her eyes and concentrated once more. She'd passed the last one, and so had her brother after some extreme effort, but this one was about fine tuning their control, and neither of them had it easy. According to Toshiro the next one would be even harder, though he seemed to think Ichigo might handle it a bit better. When asked why, he simply smirked and went silent. That was another difference with the Ice Prince, he'd started getting cryptic.

When she still made no progress the Substitute called it a day and returned to the base of the mountain, trudging on back to the tree mansion. She'd grown close to Sylfie and her daughters over time but her mood had been declining, as Toshiro hadn't visited since the others left. She didn't complain, though, because Sylfie had told her he was spending more time with his father. She'd been the one to suggest he do that so she refused to force him back to her.

In the palace, Toshiro sat by his father's bed, making small talk to pass the time. His father loved the company and was happy to talk about pretty much anything. Though, at the moment, their conversation was a little more serious.

"Soul Society is on high alert." Toshiro said with a frown. "The demons don't come in as large of groups as before, but they're still coming, making it hard to give people time to recover. Thankfully Ruala gets there in time to fight back the Fear but some have been lost to it."

"I see, that is troublesome." Satoru put a hand to his chin in thought. "I wonder if they're trying to find a way to get here through the Soul Society, as that's where you go the most."

"I haven't been there in a month since I went to bring the Soul Reapers here." Toshiro mentioned. "So why attack now?"

"Maybe it's because you aren't there. After all, you can kill them easily, as you've already defeated one of the elites."

"I haven't defeated a Demon Lord."

"No, but Gralio was as close to one as they can get. His problem was his impatience, which you were able to use to your advantage. The Solar Five aren't so impatient. In fact, they love to drag it out, to make YOU impatient. They know they can do it too."

"Damn." Toshiro scowled. "They haven't showed themselves, either. Not since I brought Karin here."

"How is she, by the way?" Satoru grinned. "Perhaps she could come join us sometime."

"She's still doing the trials." His son looked curious as to why he was interested in her. "I believe she's on her third along with her brother."

"They're making progress." The king nodded. "She seems like a nice young woman."

"Except she's stubborn." The prince huffed.

"Much like you."

Toshiro grumbled under his breath and his father laughed lightly.

"The two of you are an unlikely match." He continued, watching his son's cheeks turn a light pink. "But I can see it working out. You even each other out quite well."

"What do you mean by that?"

"When she gets hot-headed, you cool her off, and when you stand rigid, she warms you up. You need each other to find that balance in between that makes you complete." He smiled as Toshiro listened intently. "It's risky, as most beings of Fire and Ice end up destroying each other, but I believe the two of you have that balance."

"Maybe…" Toshiro scratched the back of his neck nervously. "I should probably go see her."

"I'm sure she'd like that." Satoru put a comforting hand on his son's shoulder. "She's helped you earn two marks already. Who knows, maybe she's the key to getting your fourth."

Teal eyes glanced down at his birthmark, glowing with a subtle, transparent light. It only got bright when he was using his powers, otherwise it wasn't there. It wouldn't be permanent until he became Soul King, like his father's own white mark, the color matching their Spiritual Pressure color.

"Will you be alright?" Toshiro looked back up.

"I'll be fine, son." Satoru shooed him away, Toshiro standing reluctantly. "I heard a few others planned on returning, you should see them off."

"Okay."

He left the room but did not go farther, waiting behind the now closed door, his Spiritual Pressure dimmed to make it seem like he'd left. After a moment he heard his father cough violently, frowning deeply. There was nothing he could do, he knew that, but it still hurt. His hand clenched into a fist before he finally walked away. His dragon said nothing, knowing that there were no words to make the situation any better.

At the Kingdom of Magika, Karin and Ichigo noticed the Soul Reapers gathered.

"So you guys are going back?" She questioned, looking over at those who had made that decision. Kadin, Byakuya, Jushiro, Kisuke and Yoruichi. That left only Renji, Rangiku and Rukia staying with them, waiting for the two of them to finish the trials.

"The demons are still coming; they could use some well rested fighters to back them up." Kadin replied to her.

He paused as he spotted Ælfwyn step outside with her sister. The woman smiled kindly at him and he couldn't help but smile back. His memories had not quite returned yet, still blurry and unknown, but he knew he could trust her, his mother.

"Well, be careful." Sylfie commented, standing next to Karin with Ruala on her other side, the guardian keeping her gaze on the ground. During his time here Kadin had come to realize he knew Ruala as well as he knew his mother, a blurry figure in his memories that was always there to comfort him. He knew they were close but couldn't say anything until he knew more.

"You have no need to worry about us." Byakuya replied, stiff as always. The green-haired woman was at a loss for what to do with him. Unlike Toshiro, who just needed a little push in the right direction to get a smile, this man was a statue. She'd even tried teaming up with Yoruichi, but that only frustrated him.

"Best be off." Jushiro gave a small wave.

"Good luck!" Rangiku waved back, Kadin rolling his eyes at her. He knew half her reason for staying was to avoid paperwork.

"To you as well!" Urahara waved his fan at them all and turned away. "I'm going to see what Kurotsuchi found out about the demons, I heard he caught one. Just my luck!"

"Oh boy." Yoruichi sighed.

A shadow made them pause as Myndræl landed before them, the large blue dragon blocking their path as Toshiro dismounted and headed towards them.

"Oh, Prince Hitsugaya." Kadin greeted with some surprise.

"I heard you were leaving." He said.

"We are." Jushiro nodded. "We wish to aid in keeping out the demons."

The prince nodded, understanding completely, and said his goodbyes to them all. He waited with the others as the five Reapers left, the Tenchuren heading downwards back to the Soul Society, Japan branch. With a huff, Ichigo turned back to the mountain, determined to finish the trials.

"Time to get back to business." He said as he walked away.

"Oh no you don't." Sylfie latched onto the back of his Shihakusho and pulled him back, startling him. "You and Karin haven't made any progress what-so-ever which means you're not doing it right. The best thing for you two right now is relax a bit and think about why."

"But we don't have time for that." Karin argued.

"Just ask him," Sylfie motioned towards Toshiro, who blinked in confusion, "you won't get anywhere trying to force it."

"She's right." The young prince grumbled.

"Okay, I get it." Ichigo scowled, the royal letting him go finally. "So, what? We just take a nap or something?"

"Whatever will help." The woman shrugged and headed back inside with her daughters, including Ruala, who looked a little more sad than usual.

"Maybe you should try talking to your zanpaktou." Rangiku suggested, Renji and Rukia nodding behind her.

"But I don't have him with me." The orange-haired man reminded.

"Oh, right…"

"Even if you can't talk to him the meditation would be a good way to clear your head and think about it." Rukia stepped over to him.

"I guess…"

Rolling her eyes, the petite Kuchiki pushed him inside to do just that, Renji smirking and following, knowing this would get interesting if an argument started.

"Well, I should probably keep practicing." Rangiku grinned at the two left. "I knew Bankai was difficult, but goodness! And Haineko isn't ANY help!"

"Maybe if you actually tried to get along with her?" Toshiro suggested, Karin snickering.

"So mean, Hitsugaya." Rangiku pouted and walked off into the forest to practice her Bankai.

Now it was just him and Karin, a fact he noted quickly. Well, he had planned on seeing her…but he wasn't sure what to say. There was more than one reason he hadn't been by the past week to visit, and his father's approaching demise was only one of them. An important one, but still just one. However, explaining the other one would be difficult.

"Still letting her call you by your last name?" Karin said to him, initiating a conversation.

"Yes." He replied. "I told her she could, and that she didn't have to call me Soul Prince like everyone else."

"You call her by her first name now; can't she call you by yours?"

"I…suppose…" He fidgeted a bit.

The silence got a bit oppressing. Deciding to try another time, Toshiro sighed.

"I should go."

He turned to leave. Myndræl narrowed his eyes and was prepared to turn away; like he was letting his partner run away from this, oh no. However, he had no need to move as Karin stepped forward and latched onto the boy's arm.

"Hey!" She growled. "You just got here!"

He looked back at her curiously, unsure what to do now. Fate seemed to be against him.

"Are you avoiding me?" She asked, looking a little hurt, and he stiffened.

"Of course not!" He denied. "I just…I don't want to be a distraction."

"Hmph." She let go of him to cross her arms. "You weren't the first three weeks, what makes you think you are now?"

"Um…" He scratched his head nervously; so perhaps that wasn't the best excuse. "I'm…in a difficult spot right now."

Her gaze softened.

"With your dad?"

He nodded, going along with it. It was part of the reason he was nervous, so he supposed it wasn't completely lying. There was honestly no good way to put into words what he was thinking, fearful it would only end in her anger.

"No idea how to get the fourth one?" Her voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"Unfortunately, no." He sighed, looking at the mark again. "It's a very vague attribute."

She nodded in understanding.

"I'm sure you'll get it." She flashed him a smile and turned to leave.

In that moment, as he saw her walking away from him, his calm demeanor slipped and he caught her before she could actually leave, arms around her waist and head nestled at her neck. Face flushing, she froze in place, wondering why this was happening. Similarly, Toshiro was wondering what the heck he was thinking, putting himself in a corner like this.

"T-Toshiro?" Karin stuttered, completely caught off guard.

No reply at first, just a slight tremble to his grip. What was going on? Why was he acting like this?

"Don't leave me." He confessed in a desperate tone. "I'll be alone…"

Her heart went out to him then, putting her arms over his to stop the shaking, his arms cold in her grasp. She let her warmth spread into him to hopefully calm him down. This definitely wasn't like him but she could see why he acted as such. He was weeks, possibly only days away from losing his father, someone he'd grown close to during his time here.

"I've still got things to do, I'm not going anywhere." She promised.

His grip tightened.

"What about when you've finished?" Though still sounding desperate, there was an icy bite to it.

'_Jeez, I had no idea he was so possessive._' Karin inwardly sighed, biting her lip, trying to think of what to say.

'_**Can you blame him?**_' Her zanpaktou said, reminding her with subtle flashes of memory things Toshiro had told her about his life that had lead her to realize why he was such a cold person.

'_Damn…now what do I do_?'

She got him to release her just enough so she could turn around and hug him tight. But while it made him feel a little better, she still hadn't answered him.

"You'll leave, won't you?" He questioned her. "When you're finished?"

"Maybe…" She sighed. "Toshiro, it's too early to think about it. Just stop avoiding me, okay? If you're scared to be alone then don't hide."

"I'm not hiding." He shifted himself to look her in the eyes.

"Yes you are." She snapped and he flinched a bit. "You have to trust me, Toshiro. Even if I leave I'll come back, okay?"

Trust. That was the key word, here. Trust was hard for him and she knew it. Trust was something he'd held back on, wary of what would happen, scared of being hurt in the end. Trust was something taken from him when Aizen had been in power, or perhaps even before that, when he still ran barefoot in the Rukongai, mocked by the other children.

"I trust you." He whispered to her, if a little hesitantly.

"Good." She nodded. "Because I'm trusting you, okay? That's what you do in a relationship, you trust each other."

Now he nodded, showing he understood. It was tricky dealing with him during these vulnerable moments, but she felt she knew how to handle it now. Grinning, she kissed him on the cheek before slipping out of his grip with a laugh, him pouting, and heading towards the mansion. He followed after her like a lost puppy, his thoughts still out of line.

Inside, Ichigo watched the entire exchange with a stiff posture. He hadn't done anything, noticing with some concern Toshiro's seemingly frightened behavior, but he still didn't like it. As Karin's older brother he felt he needed to step in, but as Toshiro's friend he did nothing. The young prince was a very polite person when he wasn't irritated, which was usually all the time, and he knew he could trust him to take care of his sister. It was actually kind of funny to see how much Karin seemed to have him wrapped around her finger.

Letting out a huff he moved away from the window before they came inside, not wanting to be caught spying. Rukia and Rangiku had already been quite clear that he wasn't to mess things up, the former threatening no more affection. He had his own relationship to keep together; he couldn't keep up with his sister's, too.

* * *

**Hmm, what to say this time...Meh, not in the mood right now. I feel like i'm starting to rush these chapters...**

**Enjoy!**


	61. Nearing Departure

Teal eyes watched her take a deep breath, looking up the mountain's path towards the summit.

"Are you going?" He questioned with a smirk; she'd been steeling herself to go up for at least an hour now.

"Shut up!" She snapped back. "It's just…I finally made it. I'm taking a moment to relish my victory."

"Homuratei would appreciate being let in on it I'm sure."

She frowned, chewing on that thought, before finally making her way up the path.

After another three weeks of grueling torture she'd finally learned how to control her Spiritual Pressure as well as any Captain, possibly even better. Her energy creature was, obviously, a wyvern of flames. Ichigo wasn't far behind, his being the same creepy Hollow mask that had appeared during his fight with Kenpachi, but he had to wait until tomorrow to take his final trial since Karin had finished first, though Ruala wouldn't tell him why. That was an answer even Toshiro didn't know as he had done them alone.

"Be careful, this last one is challenging." Toshiro called out as she walked.

She simply lifted a hand to wave in acknowledgement before Flash Stepping away to the top.

Once she was gone, Toshiro went to his dragon and returned to the palace, heading to his father's chamber. He'd go back later that night to see how she did but for now he would spend the time with the other person he trusted most.

At the top of the mountain, Karin happily snatched her zanpaktou from Sofia's eagle talons. Seven weeks away and the blade almost felt alien to her, though that feeling was quickly replaced by Homuratei's welcoming roar.

"Now we kick some ass!" She grinned, unsheathing the familiar weapon.

"Slow down there." Sofia chuckled, in her cat form once more. "Your final opponent will be a bit different from your boyfriend's." She smirked as Karin went pink. "This last trial is supposed to be a mystery, but the Ice Prince couldn't seem to stay quiet. He probably knew my master wouldn't be your opponent, though, so no harm done."

"So who is my opponent?" Karin asked.

"You listening? I said 'mystery', right?"

Karin stuck her tongue out at the feline and walked inside the cave entrance, not before spotting Zangetsu leaning against the wall.

"Ichi will be here tomorrow, Zangetsu. Just wait one more day." She said to the sword.

It gave off a small pulse of light blue energy and she grinned. Zangetsu always had been more interactive with outside beings. She stepped into the cave entrance, for sure this time.

She found herself standing on a large blackened platform with fire at its edges, the very same platform that had been Toshiro's first trial. But Karin had Blazefang as her teacher for the fourth trial, meaning her opponent would be a different being.

"Okay, fire vs. fire." Karin mused, stepping out a bit.

She felt her zanpaktou heat up and held the blade out before her, watching it glow white hot, though not burning her.

"Homuratei?"

The Wyvern did not answer.

"Hey, Homuratei!"

A roar echoed around her and she went immediately into a battle stance. Flames exploded upwards from the ground in front of her, shaping into a familiar ghost of flames.

"But…I didn't manifest you." Karin's eyes went wide as the flame covered figure of her zanpaktou stood before her. "I can't yet. That's for Bankai!"

"**It is.**" The flame beast purred. "**But we're not training for Bankai. I get to choose when you leave, and that's when you've proven to me your new power. I didn't get to train with you so I want to see what we can do as much as you do.**"

"So…I'm fighting you?"

"**Obviously.**" The wyvern shifted. "**I think it's time I did away with this flame cloak. You are ready to see my real form.**"

Karin gaped a bit at that, watching the crimson flames shoot upward into the sky and leaving behind a tall, fierce looking creature. She was definitely a wyvern, body well-muscled and forelegs actually wings with black talons. Her skin was dark red, stripes across her body dulling from white hot to black as she stopped creating flames over her. The wings were black on top but the same dark red underneath. At the end of her long tail was a sharp barb, flames still alight at the ends, same for her curled black horns.

"**Wyverns are different than dragons.**" Homuratei grinned, showing off her fangs, looking down at her master with burning red eyes. "**We're built for full on power while they have speed. We're shorter but bigger boned, leading to shorter flying periods while they can fly for days, but we can last longer in a fight. And then there's what Lilianna told you.**" She let her body burn for a moment, her stripes red with small flames. "**We are strictly Fire type creatures**."

"But you can use Wind." Karin argued.

"**Simply an effect of our wings.**" Homuratei flapped hers, creating a sharp gust of wind that flew too close to Karin for her comfort. "**We breathe and flap and so create storms. But our actual strength comes from our fire.**"

"Okay." Karin understood now. "So…what am I supposed to do?"

Homuratei crouched down low, rear leg muscles tensing up.

"**Your power has gotten at least four times stronger than when you started.**" The wyvern said, lowering her head and making Karin nervous. "**Prove to me again that you can control me, Fire Princess.**"

The girl lifted her zanpaktou just as the beast charged forward, jaws wide.

Back at the mansion, Ichigo paced relentlessly.

"Stop that or you'll pace a hole in my floor." Sylfie grumbled, taking a sip from her coffee. Tea didn't give her enough energy, or so she said.

The young man grumbled but took a seat beside Rukia, the petite Lieutenant putting a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

"She'll be fine, Ichigo." Renji assured. "She's as stubborn as you are."

Brown eyes glared at him fiercely.

"Calm down, Ichigo, she'll be back before you know it." Rangiku huffed, tired of the Reaper's sullen mood. "And then it's your turn."

"Which reminds me." Ichigo turned to look at Ruala, the petite blonde tensing up as she noticed his glare. "Why can't I do it right now?"

"The summit cave can only do one portal at a time." She explained. "With Lady Karin inside, it won't be able to make one suited to your needs."

He grumbled, glad to get an explanation but now thinking once more about his sister and how she fared. The suspense was getting to him. Sighing, Rukia stood and dragged him further into the house, for what purpose they weren't really sure.

"If Ichigo is so uptight about Karin dating my nephew I can only imagine how uptight Sir Byakuya is." Sylfie snickered, putting the title in front of Byakuya's name only because he was a noble, one she hadn't managed to bring into the friend zone yet.

Rangiku laughed loudly at that while Renji gave a nervous cough. They weren't the ones that had to deal with Byakuya when he heard any news about Rukia going to see Ichigo, so to him it wasn't funny.

After finishing her coffee, Sylfie started playing small parts of songs on the violin, just something to pass the time. Ruala would occasionally hum along and the two Reapers would listen quietly to the melodies. After a while Ichigo and Rukia returned, the former rubbing his jaw. Seems like the petite Lieutenant had a good talk with him, and it must have worked as the orange-haired man no longer grumbled or paced, though he still had a pout.

In an entirely different situation, Toshiro sat outside the doors leading to his father's room. His condition had gotten worse and he knew Satoru didn't want him to see himself in such a state. But despite wanting to respect his father's wishes, Toshiro couldn't help but feel a weight on his heart. The time of death was fast approaching, and he dreaded it.

He heard footsteps and looked up, spotting Kirio.

"Hikifune…" He said aloud, a little out of it.

Giving him a sad smile, the plump woman sat down next to him.

"You seem troubled, Prince." She spoke softly, knowing his emotions were on a hair trigger.

He looked back at the floor, chin resting on his arms, and did not reply.

"You mustn't let yourself fall, Toshiro." She said a little more seriously, causing him to snap his head up as she used his first name. He knew her well enough to know she only did that when she was being serious. "Your father wants you to be happy, so visit him with a smile, no matter what. He feels at peace when those around him are happy."

"How can I be happy when he's dying?" Toshiro snapped.

The woman sighed, wondering how to work around the high strung prince. He was getting frustrated too easily, putting up the walls around himself once more.

"How about you bring Lady Karin with you next time you visit?" She suggested and his anger faded, replaced with surprise and curiosity. "I'm sure you father would like that, to see the two of you together." The boy went a bit pink and turned away, scratching at the floor to distract himself.

"She'll be leaving." He murmured. "Once she and her brother finish the trials, I know she'll be leaving. And then…he'll die…and I'll be alone…"

Kirio frowned, barely catching on as he whispered 'again' at the very end. So this is what the problem was. After finally getting used to opening up to others and getting close to people, he was losing them again, causing the ice to build back up. If they weren't careful he'd be the stoic Ice Prince he had been when he'd first arrived. That couldn't be allowed to happen; he'd lose too easily to Kamai that way.

Carefully she put an arm around his shoulder, feeling him stiffen at the touch.

"Think, child." She said. "You won't be alone. You have your dragon partner, your zanpaktou. We are here to protect you, to help you where we can. Lady Greenleaf loves you very much and has done her best to help you; she sees her sister in you."

He frowned, still not looking at her, still rigid under her side hug.

"And though Karin may leave, she will always be around. Just trust in her."

Apparently something she said struck a chord in him and he closed his eyes, trying to stop the tears from falling. Though what Kirio said was true, he could only think about what he would lose. It was a terrible habit of his. His inner dragon growled at him as it continued but was ignored.

His head lifted as he sensed a flare of fiery Spiritual Pressure, faint from the distance he was at but still powerful considering that distance.

"She finished." He said aloud, both relieved and saddened. One step closer to her leaving, one step closer to her safety.

"Go then. And invite her to see your father." Kirio pulled him up after standing herself and pushed him towards the stairs. He didn't resist.

The young prince left and headed upwards, meeting Myndræl at the top. Taking notice of his partner's saddened expression the ice dragon gave a soft purr, putting his head down next to him. Toshiro managed a small grateful smile to that but his sadness did not leave.

In silence they rode together towards the floating kingdom, Toshiro gripping tightly to the blue scales. Myndræl wouldn't leave him, he knew that. Ever since they'd met outside the Greenleaf Family home they'd always been together. So why didn't that make him feel better?

"Toshiro." Myndræl said as they landed, said prince dismounting. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

The white-haired boy sighed and put a hand to the ice dragon's side, the scales cool under his touch.

"I wish there was." He replied.

Frowning, Myndræl pushed his muzzle up against the small figure and gave a low, calming rumble, to hopefully help in some way or another. The prince gave the drake a quick hug before heading off towards the mansion, feeling a little better.

Once inside he was met with the sight of Karin having her arm wrapped in a bandage. She looked really tired and had other parts bandaged. Clearly the trial had been Hell for her. Her brother was the one bandaging her.

"Oh, hey." Karin greeted, barely taking notice to his worried expression. "I look like shit, don't I?"

She gave a weak laugh that Toshiro definitely did not find funny, stepping over to her.

"Hold still." Ichigo grumbled when she tried to move her arm.

"Then hurry up." She snapped back.

Still silent, Toshiro sat next to her, looking like he really wanted to hold her, though they couldn't decide if it was because she was hurt or because he was.

"Are you alright, Prince Hitsugaya?" Rukia dared, wondering why the white haired prince seemed to be in such an off mood.

"It's hard to tell." He replied quietly, keeping his gaze on Karin. So even he didn't know.

"If you're worried about me I'm fine." Karin shrugged. "My opponent was Homuratei and she did not go easy on me. It's hard to fight a Wyvern."

"You fought your zanpaktou?" He looked surprised by this.

"Yeah, she was testing me again." Her eyes lit up. "She says I'm probably two or three times stronger than the average Captain. That's good, right?"

He let a small smile grace his features but the sadness was still evident in his gaze. Something was really bothering him and Karin wasn't about to let it slide by. She had more of an idea of what it was, though, as he had told her things he wouldn't tell others.

"How's your dad?" She asked softly. Having just finished bandaging, Ichigo stiffened and turned to the prince. Is that why he was depressed?

What little barrier he had put up to try and hide his sadness quickly fell and he turned away from them.

"Hitsugaya?" Rangiku stepped closer to her former Captain, worried.

"Sorry." He said, his voice a little shaky. "I'm not myself right now…just…give me a minute."

An oppressing silence filled the room as no one spoke, concern on their faces as they watched Toshiro sit silently with his face turned away, his hands fisted into his hair. The stress was clearly getting to him, more so than they had ever seen before, even Rangiku.

Said Lieutenant sat at Toshiro's other side and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. He glanced up at her. Whatever passed between them was left unsaid as Toshiro sighed and laid his head down on the table atop his arms, Rangiku rubbing her hand in soothing circles across his back. Karin watched with interest as he relaxed more. The blonde saw her watching and winked. This was one of the reasons Toshiro trusted Rangiku despite her work ethics; she knew how to work through depressing situations.

After a while he sat back up.

"To answer your question, Karin." He spoke. "He's…not doing well. I don't think he has much longer."

"I'm sorry…" The teen shifted uncomfortably, feeling bad for asking such a question.

Ruala stood from her position in the corner then, unseen and forgotten before then, and walked over to Karin. She leaned down and whispered into the girl's ear.

"Do not leave him alone tonight." She said before walking away and leaving the Reapers with the prince.

Confused, Karin looked past it and, along with Renji and Ichigo, attempted to try and lighten the mood. Toshiro went along with it gladly, wanting to think of anything but the upcoming demise of his father.

Night was falling and Sylfie popped in to force Ichigo to bed, wanting him to have a full night's rest before heading to his final trial, and ushered the other Reapers off to their rooms while offering Toshiro one in the mansion for the night. With the palace only holding the foreboding of death at the moment, he accepted.

"Hey Toshiro." Karin called out once she was alone with him in the halls. He turned back to her, curious. "Could I, um, stay with you tonight?"

His eyes widened a bit at the statement and she scratched her head nervously, knowing her question sounded strange. But Ruala knew things no one else did, and her advice to keep the young prince company would not go ignored, not this time.

"…okay." He finally answered, if a little nervously. Though they were comfortable in each other's presence, only nervous when others came around, especially Ichigo, they had never spent a night together.

She followed him to his room and sat next to him on the bed.

"Why the sudden need to stay here?" He asked out of simple curiosity, smirking a bit as she shifted nervously.

"Well…since I was going to leave tomorrow when Ichi finished…" She saw his expression harden, "I wanted to spend my last night here with you."

He said nothing, making her wonder if she'd upset him by mentioning her soon to be absence. It probably wasn't the best way to explain her being there.

"Come on, I'll be back." She promised, putting her arms around him. His expression lit up a bit and she got a smile out of him. "Jeez, you're like a kid having to give up his toy for a few days."

"I am not." He grumbled. "And don't consider yourself a 'toy', you're more than that and you know it."

She blushed a bit at that but wasn't about to let him get the upper hand on her.

"It was a simile, stupid; I meant you're being possessive. You're pretty hooked on me, aren't ya?"

"Shut up."

Win. She'd twisted it back around to make him the nervous one. These kinds of conversations were fun, seeing who could stay on top and make the other one submit. It always shifted back and forth but tonight she had won. Not wanting to give him a chance to turn it back around she gave him a quick peck on the cheek before moving away and settling into the bed.

"You're almost cruel." He huffed, lying down next to her.

"I just like to mess with you."

"Clearly."

He put his arms around her. However, he was shaking a bit, making Karin frown. So he was still upset about her departure. But there was nothing either of them could do and they knew it. All they had left was the night and so they were going to make the most of it.

Just before she drifted off to sleep, she heard him whisper something.

"Please stay with me."

* * *

**I love being many chapters ahead! I've actually finished this story! I'll get the rest of the chapters up one day at a time, just be patient! I might post something at the end to answer any and all questions you might have at the end as well as questions for you guys. Whatever works! Enjoy!**


	62. Sorrowful Goodbyes

He didn't talk the next day.

Karin had thought it was cute, waking up with his arms around her, still asleep. She had waited for him to wake up, hoping to maybe talk to him and cheer him up before she left. But, all he did was ignore her 'good morning' and kiss her on the forehead before leaving. Confused, she had tried to get something out of him, but he wouldn't say a word, and it was starting to irritate her. He didn't leave the kingdom, but she somewhat wished he had, as then she could excuse him for wanting to visit his father, but no he wouldn't leave, he just wouldn't talk to her either.

With her brother already starting his last trial and Toshiro ignoring her, she huffed and went to find her dragon. Dyrilæn would always talk to her.

Toshiro watched her leave before letting out a sigh and hitting his head to the table.

'_Well…she hates me._'

'_**That's your fault.**_' Hyorinmaru huffed.

'_I don't want to say something wrong. I couldn't keep my mouth shut last night and I'm not going to be the reason she abandons her family._'

'_**I'm sure there are better ways than ignoring her.**_'

'_I don't trust my words, right now._'

'_**It's because of your habit of speaking your mind before thinking about the consequences.**_'

'_Shut up, I know that. That's why I'm not talking…at least she'll be safe with her family._'

'_**You made a promise to protect her, Master. Are you really going to let her walk away?**_'

Toshiro lifted his head up a bit, teal gaze full of sadness and pain.

'_She still has the bracelet…I saw her wearing it again. She'll be fine….she'll be fine…_'

The inner ice dragon said no more, understanding his master was in a tough position right now. Keeping Karin here would be to his liking, but she was adamant about returning home, and keeping her from that would only cause her unhappiness. It was painful to watch, but it had to happen.

The air warmed and he turned to look outside, spotting the crimson dragoness letting off a jet of flame into the air. That's right; the dragon had her powers now, a fierce scarlet flame that lit up her scales. He heard Karin give out a laugh at her dragon's display and smiled. He would let Dyrilæn go to the Soul Society with her. After all, there was no telling when she'd come back, and a dragon partner didn't want to be separated for long, especially when this closely bonded.

For most of the day he remained inside, his mood keeping whatever room he was in colder than the rest, not speaking to anyone and doing his best not to beg Karin to stay whenever she came inside to try and get a word out of him. Sometimes he'd bite his lip; it took far too much effort to keep silent. And though she was obviously hurt by it, he knew the first thing out of his mouth would be a desperate plea for her to stay, and he didn't want that. He wouldn't do that to her.

Finally she gave up trying to talk to him and just sat down next to him. While he didn't speak he at least hadn't tried to avoid her yet, so she had some hope that his silence was just him being upset about her leaving. If that was all then she could get over it.

"Even though you're being kind of an ass right now," She huffed, looking at him accusingly, "I can kind of guess why. I'll be fine, okay? We're going to stop these demons and then I'll be back to visit."

He wanted to reply, he really did, but he didn't trust himself to keep what he wanted to tell her inside, couldn't trust himself not to imprison her with words.

"I'm sorry about your dad." She continued in a soft tone. "I wish I could stay-"

"You should." The words were out before he could stop them.

"Toshiro, I can't." She sighed. "Just like you can't come with me. I need to help Ichigo and Yuzu and my dad."

Leaning forward cautiously, she left a lingering kiss on his cheek. Then she stood and walked away without another word, hesitating at the door. His hands were balled into fists as he restrained himself from grabbing onto her and refusing to let go.

"You'll be a great king." Karin said to him with a small smile.

Then she was gone.

"I promise to be." He replied in a whisper, knowing she wouldn't hear him but wanting it to be said.

With his hands on the table before him he caught onto the bright flash that lit up the mark on his hand, carving into it the Kanji for Eternity on the East branch without actually hurting him. It was only a slight tickle, as if his hand had fallen asleep. Once the mark was made it returned to its transparent teal glow.

He had all four marks.

Under any other circumstance he probably would have smiled, or at least felt accomplished. But with everything that was happening it only felt like another test grade, another simple mission. Nothing to be concerned about. His father was dying, his friends were leaving, possibly to their deaths, and he still had to earn the mark of the King in order to set things right, to be able to fight Kamai Dethmaiyn on even ground. During that time when he had been near Karin he had learned for himself how powerful Kamai was. Though Karin couldn't feel it herself, he could, and the amount that man had was terrifying.

At the mountain, a portal opened at the bottom. It was nearing dinner time by now. Ichigo stepped tiredly out of the portal.

"What the hell was that thing, anyway?" He grumbled to himself, Zangetsu still in hand. "It looked like…like a humanoid cat or something."

He scratched the back of his neck before putting his zanpaktou at his back. In any case, he'd finally finished, which meant he could return to the Soul Society and kill some demons. He was a full-time Soul Reaper now, which meant he had to help protect the Soul Society. Plus, he wanted to check up on Yuzu. The honey-blonde twin had been left alone with their dad for an entire seven weeks, and they were both probably worried sick.

"Oh, now you're done?" He heard his other sister snicker.

"Shut up, you took the entire day, too!" He growled back and Karin laughed. But, having been around her since she was tiny, he could tell there was a strain to it that made it sound fake. He stiffened.

"Did the snowball talk?" He crossed his arms with a huff.

Karin went silent, frowning. The change in mood was so quick it made Ichigo worry even more.

"Leave him alone, Ichi, he's losing his dad." She snapped. "He's probably not talking because he's worried sick about him. And I'm…kinda up and leaving him here."

"Oh…" Ichigo could see what she was getting at. "Not much to do there."

"I know, but he's still upset." She let out a heavy sigh. "I just wish he wasn't ignoring me like that."

Ichigo didn't comment; he could tell immediately what the young prince was doing. It was something he himself would have done.

"Come on; let's get ready to head back." He told his sister, making his way back to the mansion.

"Wait."

They turned, spotting Ruala standing at the base of the mountain with Sofia in her arms. She had her hood down, to their surprise, and looked worried about something.

She moved over to Karin, grasping the wrist where the bracelet was placed.

"Don't ever take this off." She said in a sincere tone.

"What, why?" The teen scowled. "If I'm fighting those demons I'm not gonna wear it, it'll hurt Toshiro."

"It will warn him of the danger and he can act accordingly."

"We'll be fine; he doesn't have to step in every time I'm fighting a demon."

"If not to me then promise for him that you won't take it off. It will give him peace of mind."

Karin clearly wanted to argue against it, tempted to take it off right in front of her, but was cut off by her brother before she could say anything back at the guardian.

"Just keep it on, Karin." He said.

"You just want me to be safe." She growled and he flinched back as she turned to Ruala. "Peace of mind? It hurts him, dammit, and even though he's being an ass right now I'm not going to make him shoulder the Fear for me. I can do this myself."

The grip on her wrist tightened and Karin looked at the guardian in surprise.

"If you worry for his health then come back for him." She said quietly. "My light cannot remove all darkness."

"What and you think I can?" Karin snapped. "My power is Fire and Wind. Ichi's probably got more light then me."

"Actually I have Darkness and Lightning, or so that weird opponent of mine said." Ichigo cut in. Karin shot him a glare to shut him up.

"There is more to dispelling Fear than Hope," Ruala caught their attention once more, "a stronger magic that cannot be contained within an element as I wield."

She said no more, just squeezed her wrist gently and backed off.

"For the sake of his sanity, keep that bracelet on and do not stray from him for long."

"Why are you so worried about him?" Ichigo questioned.

"It is my sworn duty to protect him. It has taken me a long time to get him to trust me as his father does, and that trust is essential to what I do." Ruala let Sofia climb onto her shoulder. "I will not betray that trust. I ask this of you, Lady Karin, do not take this off, and do not leave his side for long."

Karin looked down at the thin bracelet, the dragon curling around the ice crystal that glowed faintly. It still had Toshiro's Spirit Energy attached to it, a constant reminder of him, and she could still remember when he had given it to her. Despite what it was used for she couldn't bring herself to throw it away, not when it was also his gift to her as a friend.

"Alright, I won't take it off." She huffed. "But I don't know when I can come back."

"If you cannot come back he will come to you." Ruala smiled softly, surprising them. She was clearly set on making sure they weren't separated for long when before it wasn't such a big deal.

'_Why is she so determined?_' Karin mused as she nodded in reply, walking with her brother back to the mansion, Ruala staying put at the base of the mountain.

'_**I'm wondering why she thinks you're some kind of cure for him.**_' Homuratei rumbled. '_**Are you secretly some kind of carrier of Hope?**_'

'_I would think you would know something like that._'

'_**Good point, and I don't, so I guess you're not.**_'

'_She must be pretty worried about him…I am, too._' She stayed outside with Dyrilæn as Ichigo went inside to get the others. '_I hope he'll be okay when his dad passes. He's got a lot riding on his shoulder now._' She looked down once more at the bracelet. '_Which is why I'm not going to wear this thing in a fight._'

'_**You said you would.**_'

'_I change my mind quickly, and just now I decided I'm not going to wear it during a fight._'

One by one the other three Reapers came out, ready to go. Sylfie followed after to say her goodbyes, as did her daughters. The head of house made sure to pass along to Dyrilæn that she was allowed to go to the Soul Society with Karin, which the dragoness was VERY happy about, letting off a shot of fire in joy. They all laughed.

But Toshiro did not come out.

Myndræl sat off to the side, depressed, but his partner did not come out.

"He wishes you all luck." The ice drake rumbled softly. "Stop the demons' advance as quickly as you can."

"You bet we will." Renji smirked, hoping to bring the dragon out of his depression. It did not work; the only thing to fix a depressed dragon partner would be to fix the depressed human partner. Said partner currently wasn't in the mood for talking, so nothing could be done.

More than a little frustrated now, Karin simply huffed and ignored any mention of Toshiro. So now he was avoiding her, just great. She'd gotten two words out of him all day and now he wouldn't even see her.

"Let's just go, Yuzu's probably worried sick." Karin said with a growl to her tone, sitting atop her dragon and heading quickly for the Tenchuren to leave, the others having to take the longer route down, unless they wanted to be chucked there by catapults. They'd tried that; wasn't fun.

"Oh joy, she's gonna be cranky the whole way back." Ichigo sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Tell the snowball he better have a good reason for pissing her off or I'll be back to Bankai his ass."

Though she frowned, Sylfie said nothing against it and simply watched the carrot top leave with the others, Rangiku lagging behind a bit. Whatever was on the blonde's mind she seemed to decide against talking about and moved on.

"Well, nephew, you have a talent for causing trouble." Sylfie said, turning towards the door where Toshiro stood in the shadows, having watched everything.

Teal eyes glanced at her but no words followed.

"You best get back to the palace." Ralæn walked past him inside. "We noticed you've got the four marks…you don't have much time left to get the fifth."

A scowl crossed his face at how bored she sounded talking about the approaching death of his father.

"Læn, watch yourself." Sylfie snapped, also offended by it.

The older twin paid them no heed and walked away, grabbing her zanpaktou as she passed and most likely going off to train. She'd been very vocal about joining the fight whether they let her or not.

Moving outside the house the young prince moved away from the girls and towards the edge of the kingdom. There he sat, Myndræl moving to sit beside him, and watched the tiny figures of his friends and the larger figure of the dragoness step inside the Tenchuren. The doors closed and the tower shifted, ready to depart.

Toshiro reached a hand up to his cheek just as the Tenchuren left the realm.

"Goodbye."

* * *

**Just a short little chapter where everyone else leaves and Shiro's depressed goodbye. We all know he speaks without thinking sometimes and for something like this I can imagine he wouldn't have a filter either, so he forced himself quiet. Made ME depressed writing it T^T Enjoy! (If you're not wanting to just crawl in a hole like I am)**


	63. No Rest For the Heroes

The door remained shut before him as he attempted to calm his nervousness. Night was approaching but Toshiro knew he couldn't wait too long. The final test was different for every king-to-be and with such little time left he knew he couldn't afford the luxury of waiting another night.

He pushed aside any distracting thoughts and knocked softly on the door, waiting a few moments before opening it and stepping inside.

"Come in, Toshiro." Satoru's weak voice called out to him.

The young prince stepped over to the bed quickly, noticing how thin and pale the man was now, never having gotten out of bed for a week or two. All it served to do at the moment was confirm he was at the last of his days.

"What is it you need?" The king questioned with a weak smile.

Trying to follow Kirio's advice, Toshiro replied with a small smile of his own and held his hand forward, his mark glowing in the darkness, easy to see.

"Ah, you've done it!" Satoru gripped the small hand before him with his weak ones, looking with pride at the glowing emblem. "I knew you could."

"I wish it hadn't taken so long." Toshiro replied in a quiet tone.

"Nonsense, you're the fastest one yet. It's only been five or six months, perhaps less…I lose track of time sometimes. Nevertheless the fastest one before you still took over two years to complete it, the tasks are not easy."

"And the last?"

Though it took effort, his father managed to grin mischievously.

"That's up to me." He chuckled at Toshiro's confused expression. "Though I would love to give you the final mark at this moment, due to being blood related I cannot and I must give you a set of tasks in order to prove to me you really are ready."

Toshiro nodded, standing tall to show he was ready.

"But, before we begin." Satoru shifted himself, turning to sit on the side of the bed, legs thin and bony like an old man's would be in the World of the Living. "Help me to the balcony, if you would."

There was no hesitation as Toshiro put one pale arm over his shoulder and helped his father over to the railing to look outside. He had once said he liked the outside view, no matter how open and dangerous it was. He could see everything happening from that view, could still sense if something was amiss. Toshiro was getting good at that as well, able to notice when something was off from the norm.

"I want to know what you think of all this." The man said, gaze panning over the landscape. "The youngest king ever to take the throne, the first Dragon King, first wielder of two dragons in centuries…it must be a lot to take in."

"It is." Toshiro leaned on the railing. "But I have to do it."

"Actually," Satoru let out a small sigh, "you don't."

The prince's head snapped up, widened eyes looking at his father in surprise.

"Dethmaiyn was chosen before you, which leads to some…unique circumstances, especially due to your age. If the Soul Prince isn't deemed capable of ruling yet before his father dies, another can take his place for a short time while they continue training."

"Are you saying you want Dethmaiyn to take over for me?" Toshiro was both surprised and a little betrayed. "Then what was all this training for?"

"It doesn't have to be Dethmaiyn." Satoru corrected, remaining calm despite Toshiro's panic. "I heard about Kadin Thane. And then there is Ichigo Kurosaki. Both are capable candidates if they so wished, and it would only be a temporary rule until you felt you were ready. They wouldn't need to go through the same process you do."

"I'm not going to force something like this on them." Toshiro refused. "And Kurosaki's family is no longer royal or even noble. Thane doesn't even want to return to his family; his memories are gone."

"So you're going to take this position even if it's too much for you?" Satoru asked.

Hesitation. Toshiro turned away from that blue-green gaze for a moment as he thought over what he was going to say. Was this part of the test? Well, anything goes, but he couldn't help wanting to be completely honest.

"I…I'm scared." He admitted. "Something like this…I still haven't wrapped my head around all of it. But," He took a deep breath, "I can't back down now. I have to do this."

Satoru watched his son closely, still sharp enough to see the determination in those teal depths. At that he smiled.

"Well you seem certain enough." The man nodded. "Now, what to do for your test? I suppose I'll have to see what all you know and how you interact with others."

"Are you well enough to do that?" Toshiro asked, concerned.

"I am." A frail hand was placed on his shoulder. "Don't worry about me, son. You'll see in the end."

"See what?"

Satoru gave a mysterious grin before turning once more to the outside. Deciding not to push it, Toshiro stood silently next to his father that night.

Down in the Soul Society, everyone was on high alert. They welcomed the Kurosakis back with great joy, as well as their companions, glad to have more fighters with the strength of royals to aid them. Thanks to the others they had been able to repair what was lost and recover, putting up strong defenses against the demons. With Ruala's help they had made the walls demon-proof so they wouldn't be able to get inside through shadows again.

"There is a break in the demon's attacks now." Shinji told the new arrivals, having been one of the ones to greet them at the gates as they came back to the Seireitei in the fading light of afternoon, the Lieutenants heading back to their squads after a 'see you later' to the siblings. "You guys just finished the Five Trials so you better rest up good. No telling when they'll come back."

"Any word from dad?" Ichigo questioned.

"Oh yeah." The Visored turned, leading them towards the Squad Four barracks. "He and your sister Yuzu came here for now. He told the humans you're all on some kind of vacation for a while. Captain Unohana is teaching Yuzu healing since her dragon is a healing dragon."

"Kisuke help her get here?" Karin asked.

"Yup."

They reached the healing quarters and spotted Yuzu pacing outside under the light of the entrance lamps, having caught word of her siblings' return, with Shimmer sitting nearby, watching her partner worry. The white dragon was a little bigger now, suggesting she'd earned her powers over the last seven weeks.

"Karin! Ichigo!" She cried out excitedly upon spotting their approach in the darkness, launching towards them and wrapping them in a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're back! We were so worried about you!"

"Easy, Yuzu." Ichigo replied with a slight laugh. "We're fine, and now we're here to help."

"About time." A familiar snarky voice replied and Ichigo stiffened.

Standing at the door was his Quincy friend, Uryu Ishida, in his ever pristine white uniform, complete with mantle. Smirking, the black-haired man pushed his glasses up in front of his dark blue eyes as if to scrutinize him.

"And so you get even stronger." The archer huffed teasingly. "Is there no end to your needless amount of power?"

"Shut up you." Ichigo growled. "I can assume you got stronger, too, after hearing about the demons."

"Of course I did. What's more, the Soul Reapers seem to care less if I destroy them or not. Apparently the souls of demons do not originate from a human source and so need to be destroyed, nor will it tip the balance of souls."

"Yeah, Toshiro told us that." Karin nodded, managing to squirm out of her twin's grasp. "The King of Hell actually asked him to make sure they were destroyed."

"The King of Hell?" Uryu seemed intrigued by this. "Cap-I mean, Prince Hitsugaya met the King of Hell?"

"Well yeah, he's gonna be Soul King soon, and the two of them keep in touch. Normally the King of Hell can keep the demons under control, so Toshiro told me, but Dethmaiyn has caused a riot. The demons don't really listen to Satan anymore, not that they ever really did. They were just tolerated. They don't actually belong here."

"Gee, Karin." Yuzu looked surprised by this. "He told you a lot, didn't he?"

"I was just curious, he didn't have to answer." Karin shrugged, looking uncomfortable with the topic now. She spotted two new figures approaching behind Uryu and used them as a distraction. "Hey Orihime, hey Chad."

The two Fullbringers grinned, though Chad's was more of a simple twitch of the mouth upward, and waved to her. The auburn haired woman came up and hugged the teen, breasts nearly smothering her if Karin didn't have experience avoiding Rangiku's. The tall Japanese-Mexican simply shook her hand.

"So you guys are in on this, too, huh?" Ichigo smirked, crossing his arms. He was glad to see his friends again but there was a hint of worry in his eyes.

"We always help you, Ichigo." Chad said in his deep voice.

"Just in case you jump in head first again." Uryu added, causing a tick mark to appear on the orange-haired man's head.

While those two started to bicker once more, Karin turned to her sister, the pearlescent dragon Shimmer now beside her and greeting the raven teen with a soft purr.

"You got bigger, Shimmer." Karin said to the dragonling, scratching her chin. "How's your speech?"

"Better." She chirped. She did sound clearer in her tones than before, not making them out as questions all the time. "I heal better, too."

"Good to hear, I bet Captain Unohana loves your help."

The dragoness nodded. She took a moment to greet the fire drake nearby before turning back to Karin, looking a little more serious.

"Something painful?" Shimmer reported, tilting her head. The dragon scrunched up her nose, realizing that wasn't the way to say it. "Um…you are…hurting? Emotionally?"

"Oh…" Karin understood now. "No, I'm fine."

A crystal tail flicked.

"You can't get past my dragon." Yuzu huffed. "Spill. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing's wrong." Karin attempted to push past the honey-blonde but was quickly pulled right back to her previous spot by said twin. "Look, Yuzu, I'm fine. Just tired. The Five Trials me and Ichi took were really hard and we're exhausted."

"Not stopping him." Yuzu pointed out how their brother was upping the volume of his shouting match with Uryu, Orihime attempting to step in between her boyfriend and the Reaper. "But nothing does…"

"Exactly." The Substitute nodded. "I'm tired, though."

They paused as Retsu stepped outside to see what the commotion was, looking a little irritated. The shouting stopped at once, both sides looking nervous under the healer's gaze.

"Please remember that this is a hospital and conversations should be kept to a normal voice." She said kindly with her deadly bite to it underneath, coated with sugar. Ichigo and Uryu nodded obediently.

That done, the healer smiled at the twins and their dragons and headed back inside to see to her patients, some of which were still healing from the first demon assault that had brought her back from the Soul King's Realm.

"So?" Yuzu immediately pinned her attention back on her sister.

Karin scowled and refused to answer, arms crossed. Frowning, Dyrilæn decided she would have to be the one to speak, as the unrest stirring in her partner's heart would surely become deadly if not handled by someone the girl trusted. Preparing herself for the shouting she would surely get from her Wyvern spirited half, the dragoness leaned her head down to Yuzu.

"She's upset about leaving the Soul Prince." She reported quickly.

"Dyrilæn!" Karin snapped, betrayed.

"Love sick." Shimmer nodded in understanding.

"Tha-That's not it at all!" Karin denied, blushing furiously.

"Yes it is." Yuzu teased. Then the façade dropped and she looked at her twin with nothing but concern and sisterly love. "It's okay, Karin, I'm sure you'll see him again. You two always bump into each other."

"He was just a Captain, then, he can't just take an off day to come play soccer." The raven haired teen huffed.

"And his father's dying." Dyrilæn added, earning another heated steel colored glare. "It must be said, friend. You can't hide away. Didn't you tell the prince that very thing?"

Her mouth opened and closed again, unable to argue with the fire drake's logic. She was still upset, though, and let her dragoness know it quite clearly.

Purring, Shimmer rubbed against the teen like a cat, her scales much softer than normal dragons even at her age, more like leather. It helped to remove some of the weight on the girl's heart as she reached down to pet the strangely feline drake. Yuzu giggled. Whether through her powers or simple affection, Shimmer had a healer's touch for sure.

Everyone left the Kurosaki siblings alone to get rest, Isshin off in the Squad Ten barracks to see his former Lieutenant and newest Captain and giving his children some peace for the night, which they needed desperately to recover their strength.

The next morning, Karin got to see first-hand the skills Yuzu had managed to master over the course of seven weeks. While her raven haired twin had learned to control her powers to a level above the Captains, she had learned to harness her new spiritual powers into Healing Kido. Likewise, Shimmer had control over her two elements, her main of light and a slight touch of Flora. Her powers worked strangely; she created certain plants before eating them, infusing them with her inner light and creating a special cure that she then breathed out in a soft green light over what she wanted healed. If it was an illness, she breathed the cure into her patient's mouth or absorbed it into their skin if they weren't comfortable with letting a dragon breathe on their face. The latter took longer, so for emergencies it had to be taken through the mouth.

While Yuzu busied herself away healing the wounded with the seated officers of Squad Four, Karin stepped outside to sit peacefully with her dragon. Dyrilæn had calmed her attitude since they had first met, much more relaxed in the presence of humans and Reapers than before, and only snappy when awoken too early or just in a bad mood that day.

"Can you still talk to Myndræl?" Karin questioned her drowsy partner.

"Maybe." She huffed back. As mentioned, she was grumpy when awoken early.

"Come on Dye, help me out here." The teen looked at her dragon.

"If you're worried about his partner then don't." The dragoness sighed, a small bit of smoke accompanying her breath. "The prince has been busy lately anyway, Myndræl hasn't seen him."

"Tch, now he's avoiding his dragon." The teen growled to herself.

"He's not avoiding." Amber eyes rolled. "He's trying to pass his final test. He doesn't leave the palace for that, apparently, so Myndræl is at Dragon Isle."

Karin gave a huff but went quiet. She was still miffed about the white haired prince avoiding her yet regretted not making an attempt to say goodbye to him anyway. Maybe he'd been distracted by something and just hadn't made it out in time. But at the same time she knew that wasn't true, that he'd been avoiding that dreadful goodbye. She briefly remembered his actions three weeks ago when he'd let his vulnerable side surface, asking that she stay. The night before last he had done so again, thinking she had been asleep when he'd pleaded once more for her to stay with him. He'd been desperate.

But that still didn't excuse himself from ignoring her an entire day, in her eyes. Perhaps she should have stayed. Maybe she would have if he'd caught her once again with that painful look in his eyes. She couldn't stand seeing him like that; it hurt her as much as him. Instead he didn't look at her, didn't speak except that single slip of the tongue, two words, no more. That hurt almost as badly as when he had been shaking in her hold.

"Ugh, he's so damn confusing sometimes!" Karin growled to the air, hitting her head back onto her dragon's body. "Ow…"

Dyrilæn couldn't help but snort in laughter at that despite not knowing why she had shouted so suddenly. Her partner snapped at her to shut up.

Later on they decided to walk around the Seireitei and see who needed help. They were going to be there for a while, so they might as well be of some help. Dyrilæn didn't much like being a heavy lifter, but with her partner hard at work with either repairs or patrols, she didn't have much choice but to make it a little easier for her companion. An aerial view helped with reports of any possible demon attacks.

A tap on her shoulder alerted Karin to someone wishing to speak to her. She turned, spotting Momo Hinamori there, looking a little timid.

"Hey Momo." Karin greeted kindly. The Lieutenant had always been better friends with Yuzu, but they got along well enough. "Need something?"

"Not particularly." Momo smiled. "How's Shiro?"

"Eh, cold as usual." Karin shrugged, hiding how her hand had clenched a bit and the flicker of both anger and hurt in her eyes. She could not get it past the brunette.

"Did something happen?" She stepped closer, perhaps hoping to offer some comfort. "I thought you two were close?"

"I did too." Karin huffed. "It's no big deal, Momo; he's really stressed right now, anyway. To be honest I'd probably be insane with how much he has to do."

"Oh Shiro, always trying to take all the weight." The girl sighed. "You're right, he's probably really stressed. Need any help with that?" She gestured to the building she was helping to repair in the Squad Seven area, Captain Komamura visible in the distance to help with another damaged area.

"Yeah, sure."

The girls set to work, never speaking of Toshiro again.

Something crashed into the shield and everyone froze in place, gazes turning skyward to the flux in the shield. A ripple spread outwards from the impact point but showed no sign of what was the cause.

"What the hell was that?" Ichigo scowled, trying to pinpoint the source.

Many others were as well; all senses on alert for what demon dared try to enter from the sky. Without anyone noticing, Karin slipped off the silver bracelet and pocketed it before putting a firm hand on her zanpaktou, prepared.

Something slashed the barrier again, creating a small crack that allowed two small figures inside. Now in, they used the shadows to move to the Sokyoku Hill.

"Come on!" Momo called out to her companion, both girls Flash Stepping over to the hill.

They were not the only ones to do so, all wondering how these two managed to get in and what they wanted, though considering their form of travel they were obviously demon masters of some kind, not actual demons, though hopefully not Demon Lords. The Seireitei was not prepared to handle that kind of demonic power. Still, such an easy break in the barrier was troublesome.

There ended up being a rather large grouping of Reapers on the hill, Ichigo standing with his sister when he spotted her.

A familiar figure faced them, the silver haired woman from the first attack who was also ordered to spy on Karin. The second was unfamiliar, a lithe man with fair features and silky black hair down to his shoulders, the top braided similarly to Ælfwyn, as if suggesting elven roots. His eyes were as blood red as the woman's.

"Who are you?" Soi Fon demanded.

"Erol Nightstalker." The man replied with a courteous bow. "My companion is Star Blodgharm."

"Since you seem to be cooperating, tell us why you're here. How did you get through the shield?"

"The slightest shadow is our entry point." Erol grinned.

"You came through the sky!" Ichigo argued.

"The shadows of the wind are not easily seen, and never at such a high altitude. They are there, though."

"Enough of this." Star scoffed, clearly not as patient as her partner. "We know the girl has returned."

"But there are plenty of girls," Kyoraku shot back with a grin, "I would know."

"You know of which girl we speak." Star sneered at him, making him frown. "We want the girl who can give us access to the Soul Prince."

Several of the Reapers scowled, understanding now what she meant. There was only one girl they meant when they spoke like that, one person they were interested in enough to go out of their way to break into the Seireitei barrier. The person of their interest was the first to unsheathe her blade; though what had happened still hurt, she was not about to let them kidnap her again, this time for her own purpose, not just to help Toshiro.

"Bring it!" She snarled, several other Reapers drawing their blades.

The she-devil smirked, red eyes alight with glee. She had no intention of running away today, darkness enveloping her form as she prepared to attack. Her partner did the same.

"Rage through the Land, Homuratei!"

Fire spread across the hill.

Darkness clashed.

Hell broke loose.

* * *

**Though I made it seem like a big deal this fight isn't really important enough to spend several chapters writing so I skipped it. Sorry T^T Enjoy!**


	64. From Light to Ice the Crown Does Turn

A hand rested gently on his shoulder in an attempt to give him comfort. His brow twitched in slight irritation, but other than that there was no outward sign of annoyance, as calm and collected as ever.

"Well, if that's all." The noble huffed, his son close by, the commander Damian Talor. The silver haired man gave a sigh and a look towards the young prince offering an apology for the rash behavior of his father. It was one of the few things keeping Toshiro Hitsugaya from just kicking the man before him right through the window.

Finally the head of the Talor Family, in charge of affairs in Africa, left the boy to his peace. Behind him, hand still on his shoulder, Satoru sat in his throne, letting his weariness show through only when the other two had left.

"Well done." Satoru chuckled. "That man was always a particularly…open-minded man, shall we say."

"I wanted to strangle him." Toshiro growled.

His father let out a hoarse laugh at that.

"Once you're the Soul King he won't hound you so much." The current king teased. "Many more still think you too young, remember that."

"I'm used to it, trust me."

Now there was simply a slight chuckle.

They'd been at this for a week now, Satoru giving his son seemingly random things to do, showing him to different people that either grated the boy's nerves or made him extremely nervous. He'd been put to the test against various situations, both people and scenarios of possibility, like fights between families or even a full out civil war. One minute they'd be having a normal conversation and then his father would ask a very serious question. The young prince wondered if Sylfie was behind the style of question giving. Thankfully he'd grown accustomed to it and only hesitated a moment to think before answering. He still wondered how Karin could reply without batting an eyelash.

He shifted his thoughts away from her quickly, focusing on his father. The man truly looked like a ghost, pale and thin, his very shape seeming to blur slightly as he reached his end.

The center of Toshiro's mark still remained bare.

"Father, you should return to bed." Toshiro said with a frown, worried for the man.

"Oh, I'll be fine." Satoru waved him off. "Lean down a moment, I need to ask you something."

"There's no one here." Toshiro lifted a brow.

That piercing blue-green gaze quieted him and he leaned down so the man could whisper in his ear.

"Have you and Lady Karin, as they say, done 'it' yet?"

Toshiro snapped back up straight, face bright red, and refused to look his father in the eye.

"Wh-why would you ask that!?" He said, flustered. "Of course not! I…It's…um…"

Hearing laughter, Toshiro stopped talking and watched the white haired man nearly double over laughing despite how easily it could slip into a coughing fit.

"That's not funny!"

Satoru couldn't answer, as busy as he was with laughing. Frustrated, Toshiro kept his back turned, silently steaming with red still spread across his cheeks. The mere thought made him feel nervous.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry." Satoru said, his laughter dying down as he tried to get his son's attention back, and not the angry kind. "It just came to me and I wanted to see your reaction."

"Hmph."

"Now, no need to be so cold." With shaky legs he managed to stand, Toshiro turning back to keep an eye on him. "Walk with me, if you would."

Not about to refuse and possibly let him fall, unable to get up, Toshiro stayed close by his father as they walked. They headed to the main room, slowly making their way to the balcony, the velvet carpet soft on their feet. There they stood quietly, father and son, almost indistinguishable from behind save for Toshiro's shorter hair and height. His father, though slouched, stood at five foot eight, while he was five foot five. He'd been happy to finally grow, no longer the tiny Captain that had to look up at everyone other than children.

"My son, tomorrow I will not be here."

The words were practically whispered, but they were nearly deafening to Toshiro, each syllable clear as a bell. His hands gripped tightly to the railing. Soft, wrinkled hands rested atop his own and the young prince turned to look up at his father with eyes full of pain and sadness.

"Do not despair, my dear son." The king spoke softly with a smile. "I am more than happy to pass on my legacy to you, and my life has had meaning to it. All I ask is you see me off with a smile."

"That's hard…" Toshiro looked downward.

"I can understand that." Satoru paused, taking Toshiro's right hand between both of his own, the hand with the mark over top of his son's. "You have more than proven your worth as King, Toshiro. May my power benefit you during your reign."

Teal eyes widened, fixated on the hand above his own, the white mark burning brightly with power. His own icy presence was suddenly muffled by the feeling of light and power, fully released by the King of Light for this one moment. White light rose from the king's skin before twisting through the air and becoming an icy blue-white, merging with the prince's to symbolize the transfer of power. Toshiro's hand felt like it was burning but he resisted the impulse to pull away despite the pain. Ice started to spread across the wooden floor as his Spiritual Pressure rose to match that given off by his father. From afar one would think they were testing each other, the two colors of their powers twisting and merging together. Anyone who dared enter was pushed roughly to the ground, experiencing first-hand the terrifying power of the Soul King up close.

Finally the white died away and the icy blue dominated. Heaving a tired sigh the Soul King pulled his hands away, letting Toshiro stare wide-eyed at the mark on his hand, transparent no longer and burning with the same icy blue light as the power around him and the ice glittering on the floors beneath him. The innermost mark of the King glowed white instead.

The mark dulled, though not completely, and the oppressing Spiritual Pressure died back down. The ice cracked and faded away to return to the air. If not for the startled, as well as frightened, look on the prince's face, the completed birthmark on his hand, and the utterly exhausted king, no one would know anything had just occurred.

Satoru collapsed and Toshiro snapped out of his trance in a panic.

"Father!" His voice cracked as his pain seeped through, his fear of losing the man greater than his control.

A blur of wind and Ruala was there, carefully lifting the frail old man into her arms, Sofia in her large panther form there to comfort the distressed prince. She kept him grounded while the guardian rushed his father off to the infirmary. He held tight to her fur, watching helplessly as the other two vanished deeper inside, leaving him with the panther. This was the moment he dreaded, the moment he had hoped to avoid for as long as possible. It was just as bad as he had thought it would be, a stab right to the heart, mind attempting to cover the truth with hopes he would make it. But then his earlier words would ring through his head; the king knew he would not live through the night.

Sofia purred in comfort, rubbing her head up against the boy's chest. She was to keep him here unless he was willing to witness the end for himself. That was entirely up to him. Currently all he could do was shake like a leaf and bury his face into the panther's neck fur. She wished to offer words of comfort but could not do so in this form, only able to offer physical support. The feline only wished a certain fire girl were here to bring him comfort.

'_**You should see him off.**_' Hyorinmaru offered in a low, quiet tone, avoiding the words sure to break his master down further. '_**Remember what he asked? See him off with a smile. It will give him the peace he deserves.**_'

'_Y…Yes…I will…_' Releasing his tight hold on the familiar he brushed aside his tears and stood. Violet eyes gave him a questioning look and by now Toshiro could understand her body language to a certain extent. "I'm…I'm going to say goodbye."

The violet eyes softened and the white head bobbed in agreement, the feline walking next to him as they headed towards the infirmary.

At the doors he hesitated, unsure of himself, of whether he could manage a smile for something that cut him so deeply. Even now he couldn't seem to move, frozen in place by the fear of watching someone he loved dying before him. His hand shook as he held it up to open it.

A soft head gave a gentle nudge and he breathed deeply. The door slid open quickly so that he wouldn't have time to stop himself. The obstacle overcome, he made his way slowly, painful step by painful step, over to where Ruala attempted to keep the king alive a little longer.

The man was conscious once more and he placed his hand over Ruala's, pausing her healing, as he spotted the distraught boy walking towards him.

"Now, now, don't look so down." Satoru attempted to smile, voice practically a hoarse whisper, the smile strained with effort. A hand was held up.

Toshiro grabbed that hand like a lifeline, not bothering to hide the tears the streamed down his face.

"Please smile, my son." Satoru croaked, each breath taking too much effort. "You don't know…how much a room…lights up when…you smile."

"I can't!" Toshiro shut his eyes and held his father's cold hand to his chest. "I can't…It hurts…"

"Dear Toshiro…don't let my death…drag you down…" Satoru coughed and the boy tensed, holding his breath. "Well…it seems this…is it for me."

"No, please." Toshiro begged, leaning forward and putting his arms around his father, head on the man's chest. "Don't leave me…please…"

Ruala could hardly stand to watch the prince break down, could hardly listen to the sobs that racked the boy's body without tearing up as well. It was too much; she left the room. For a sensitive soul as she, watching the scene play out before her struck deep inside.

The same could be said for Toshiro as he held nothing back, unconcerned with pretending to be cool and collected when his father was leaving him forever.

"Enough of that, Shiro." Satoru sighed, using his son's nickname for the first time. That only stabbed the blade deeper into the boy's heart, though the sobbing stopped for a moment as Toshiro glanced up at the face of his dying father. "I can't leave you like this…"

With great effort, Satoru put his hand atop the boy's head, ruffling the soft white hair weakly. Finally, a smile broke through despite the pain still clear in those teal depths. The smile was enough for him.

"Goodbye, Shiro." The hand fell from his head but Toshiro quickly grabbed onto it. Blue-green eyes turned skyward. "Forgive me, Miyuki."

"Mi…yuki?" Toshiro blinked, confused. He had never heard that name before.

The thought was cast aside as the hand in his grasp went limp. Panic rose and his power flared with it, alerting Ruala outside that something had happened. She was quick to re-enter and come to the prince's side, though she paused before reaching him as she saw the lifeless body now before her.

"No…wait." The boy's voice became higher pitched with fear, his grip tightening on the limp hand. "You can't…you can't be gone…"

As if hoping to find something he concentrated on the man's Spiritual Pressure, searching out its source and hoping to still feel the soft light he'd come to know as his father's.

There was nothing. A choking sob escaped his throat as reality hit him like a Cero.

"He's…he's gone…" Toshiro spoke in a whimpering tone, heart heavy with grief. He fell to his knees beside the bed, watching the light fade from the mark on Satoru's hand, turning it black. If the blankness of his eyes and the limp hand hadn't been enough, the loss of color hammered it home that the former Soul King was gone forever, the transfer was complete.

The mark flared to signal his new promotion to Soul King, something that normally would be celebrated, something he should have been proud of. This was ignored in favor of grieving and depression, still trying to process the death of a loved one. He knew it was coming; he had been trying to prepare for it for days. He distanced himself only to be dragged right back, not wanting for one minute to stray from his father's side when he was needed most. And now the dagger dug deep, ripping a hole in his heart he knew he could never replace, right over the other wounds received from past experiences.

He supposed he was meant to do something now. Should he leave now and let the people know the title had been shifted to another? Should he remain secret for now to grieve in peace? Lost, he looked to Ruala for help, noticing the crystal tears in her eyes that mirrored his own streaming down his cheeks. The tiny feline said nothing, head low, ears drooping. A disadvantage to being the person most trusted by the king was that they were hit nearly as hard as the prince himself with his loss.

Ruala did not judge him, did not say anything. She simply opened her arms to him, to say she would be there, to guide, to comfort. To trust. There was no pressure from her to get over it quickly and move on. So, he accepted her embrace, as one would accept help from a sister. His first action as Soul King was not to stand proud or hide away.

It was to cry.

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**...just gonna...corner...yeah...i'll be back later...enjoy...**


	65. A Bitter Reunion, A Strong Promise

The next morning found the realms' newest Soul King sitting atop the roof, Myndræl's tail curled comfortingly around him and his head lowered down. Absentmindedly the boy ran his hand over the smooth blue scales of his partner's forehead.

"Even though I've been training for months to do this…" He muttered, his dragon's eyes turning to look at him, "I don't know what to do next."

"Take your time." Myndræl purred. "The Royal Guards will hold the fort; they understand that you need time to grieve."

"But I don't have time." Toshiro sighed and laid his head atop his dragon's, letting the cold skin calm his nerves. "Those demons are probably still attacking. Anyone could be hurt; the Captains, Ichigo, Rangiku…Karin." He sat up. "Is Karin alright? Please, ask Dyrilæn."

The ice drake was about to turn inward and speak to the dragoness when someone appeared atop the roof with them, a messenger. The nervous girl stood fidgeting before quickly bowing in a way that suggested she was from Kavain's branch. Had the European commander found something of interest?

"My king, word from the Head Captain of the Japanese branch of Soul Society." The messenger reported. Toshiro's interest was perked and he stood, Myndræl lifting his head to listen as well. "A terrible demon force attacked the Seireitei naught but a week ago. Many were heavily injured and the death count has not been tolled but there are thankfully not many. The force was too great even for their new power, they request your aid."

"A week ago?" Toshiro's expression hardened. "Just when Ichigo and Karin left…Where were the Royal Guards assigned to protect the Seireitei?"

"They are among the injured. The attack was sudden, unexpected, and there was no way to get word in for help in time. The force has only recently let up on their attacks. Lady Ruala awaits you below if you wish to go with her."

"I'm coming too." Myndræl stood quickly, his massive frame starting to take up a lot of the roof space.

Hitsugaya nodded to him and let out a burst of his Spiritual Pressure. He turned to the girl.

"Send word to Sylfie Greenleaf that I'll be heading to the Soul Society, I would like her to cover for me while I'm gone."

The messenger nodded and darted off to do what was asked of her.

Ruala was quick to answer her king's call with Sofia at her shoulder, fur a bit bristled as she anticipated a fight awaiting them. They wasted no time exchanging information and simply touched hands, Toshiro's other going to rest on his dragon as all of them together were transported to their main line of defense against Kamai and his seemingly never ending demon forces.

They arrived atop the Sokyoku Hill and turned outward, the damage easy to spot within seconds. Smoke rose from various places inside the walls, the Rukongai untouched as it held no one of importance. Buildings in repair were once more broken. Soul Reapers milled about, finding the wounded or chasing down remnants of what he'd been told was a greater demon force. The shadowy creatures moved about easily, almost playing with the Reapers that chased them. Ruala moved from his side to the healing quarters in the hopes of ridding the Fear in their victims.

Furious that such chaos had managed to occur despite his efforts, Toshiro let his increased Spiritual Pressure flare, targeting the demons specifically. Cold air wafted throughout the entirety of the Seireitei, washing over the Soul Reapers in a calming breeze while wrapping the horrid demons in a harsh ice that shattered them easily. Now the darkness had passed, and those who recognized the owner of the cold power either turned to the hill in surprise, awe or pure joy, others wondering what kind of being had descended upon them to save them. The figure of the ice drake could be seen even from a distance and some feared it was perhaps a new attacker, while others welcomed the sight, having met both Shimmer and Dyrilæn.

The demons dead, Toshiro leashed his power down to a more harmless level. As he did so, a rush of air signaled him to a new arrival.

"Head Captain." Toshiro greeted without having to look, sensing the aging Reaper walk to stand beside him. "I arrived as soon as I could."

"I am grateful." The older man nodded. "How long can you stay?"

"However long I choose." The young king lifted his hand to look at his now permanent mark. Even with his power suppressed as it was to avoid hurting the weaker Reapers, though he wasn't worried about the Head Captain, it still glowed brightly.

"I see…" Yamamoto mused, catching a glimpse of the mark. "I'm sure you'll be needing a report of the events."

"That would be helpful."

"Very well," He cleared his throat. "Early morning just a week ago, two elites within the demon forces, Star Blodgharm and Erol Nightstalker, managed to infiltrate the Seireitei from above and bring with them a terrible force of demons. We apprehended the two here on the Sokyoku Hill, but they were stronger than anticipated. Our force was thinned as we attempted to protect the Seireitei and so we suffered heavy injuries. Somewhere during the battle, Karin Kurosaki managed to defeat and kill Star Blodgharm with the help of Ichigo Kurosaki and the dragon Dyrilæn. The demons retreated then."

"Is Karin alright?" Toshiro questioned as he caught the lull in the report, knowing the Head Captain meant it for him to ask such a question.

"She suffered a wounded leg and some bruises but nothing major." The Head Captain assured him. "We were allowed a day's rest before the other, Erol Nightstalker, returned with another large force that broke through our weakened defenses easily, catching us off guard and creating heavy losses. He continued these hit and run attacks until finally the forces seemed to thin out and he retreated for good just yesterday, a few demons trapped inside which you have just gotten rid of."

"Is there a reason he refused to retreat before then? A weakness, perhaps?"

"He seemed upset with the loss of his partner so perhaps his attacks were based more on revenge than simple orders. In the end, though, he retreated, leaving behind his army."

"So the demons can feel." Toshiro sighed. "This also makes them dangerous and unpredictable. At least now we have time to recover and Ruala can repair the barriers to prevent further invasion."

"And it will give some time to grieve for those lost."

Somewhat surprised by this show of sympathy, Toshiro turned to look at the aged Captain, the old man leaning on his staff-sealed zanpaktou, gaze spanning slowly over the Seireitei.

"May I ask who all was killed?" He questioned.

"If I may, Soul King," He coughed, "I would suggest visiting young Karin Kurosaki first. You seemed rather…distracted when she was mentioned."

Myndræl gave a low warning grumble, knowing full well the sensitivity of such a topic for his partner. Toshiro, however, didn't seem to mind and put a hand on the dragon's side to quiet him.

"Alright." Toshiro mounted the blue drake. "If you need me, send word."

"Of course." The Head Captain bowed respectfully just as the dragon spread his wings and took off, heading for where a subtle fiery power stood waiting. It was quite a sight to see up close, he realized, as the dragon glided easily through the air, the white figure at his back sitting tall with no outward sign of the pain that could be seen in his eyes. "That boy has gone through too much in too short a time…"

Heaving a sigh, Yamamoto began to head back to his barracks.

Standing alone in the courtyard of the Squad Five Barracks, everyone else running around somewhere repairing or helping the wounded, Karin took in a breath of the chilled air. She would have been running around too if not for the crutch in her hands keeping her weight off of her left leg, wrapped in a splint. In her battle with Star she had been tossed roughly to the side before getting her leg broken by a demon, which Ichigo had been quick to kill. Only her fuel of adrenaline let her keep going long enough to send the demon bitch to Hell with Homuratei through her heart. Sometimes it sucked to be the demons' favorite target.

"The minute my leg is healed I'm tearing those bastards to bits." She growled, her wyvern spirit roaring in agreement. This wasn't over until all the demons were gone.

Absentmindedly she stuck her hand in her pocket, slipping on the silver bracelet. Whenever a fight had started she would take it off, participating or not, but afterwards she was quick to put it on again, admiring the crystal at its center. Ruala would be furious if she knew Karin hadn't kept her promise to keep it on at all times.

A cool breeze stirred the air, bringing comfort in the sun's rays, as well as a slight nervousness. She knew who was coming even before he arrived, his dragon flying on overhead towards Dyrilæn as his partner landed without a sound nearby to her. He made no move to approach her, standing silently with his gaze to the ground, nothing showing in his expression save for the pain in his eyes. Jumping too quickly to conclusions she assumed that look was because she had left and was ready to snap at him that he had ignored her before she left.

Pain shot up her leg and she realized she'd shifted her weight onto it when stepping forward to gripe at him. Her words cut off quickly with a hiss and he looked up from the ground, brows knitted in worry.

"I'm fine." She snapped. He did not approach but the worry did not leave his expression. "Unohana says it'll be fine in a week if I stay off of it."

She hoped he would say something, anything, even if it was to point out how she was standing on it now, not following the healer's orders. But he said nothing. That only made her angrier.

"Apparently you still don't want to talk to me." She huffed. "Fine, it can go both ways."

He looked a bit hurt at that and she almost took it back, but her Kurosaki stubbornness pulled through and she turned away, keeping her word and staying quiet. Not that he said anything either.

After a minute she found she couldn't stand the silence.

"Never mind." She growled and looked back at him. There was still pain hidden in his expression but he was trying to hide it and she couldn't help but loosen up her anger a bit, gaze softening. "Okay, so I'm not really sure why you were such an ass and didn't talk to me last week other than you didn't want me leaving, but…" He quirked an eyebrow at her, waiting. "I was frustrated that you didn't at least TRY to have a normal conversation. Hell, you didn't even come out to say goodbye. Normally I'm not so mad about stuff like that, but we're supposed to be…together, right?"

There was the barest hint of a nod, as if it pained him to agree. He still felt horrible about not speaking to her that final day, not having the courage to say goodbye to her face. It wouldn't really help him to tell her he'd said goodbye only after she'd left.

"Anyway, I guess I was kinda rude earlier." The teen shifted nervously. "Sorry about that."

"Why are you apologizing?"

The words startled her, half expecting him to still ignore her. She could swear his voice was a tiny bit deeper than before.

"Um…" She pulled her thoughts back together. "I just said it, didn't I?"

He stepped closer to her, making her tense a bit. What was he planning?

Unable to keep his hands to himself, Toshiro cupped her chin in his hand, the cold touch making her shiver a bit though she did not move away. He was inches away from her, spotting the blush spreading across her cheeks.

"I should be apologizing to you." He said softly. "And you know that." His hand moved up to her cheek, brushing away a strand of black hair, the endearing look in his eyes almost too much for her.

"S-Stop that." She reluctantly reached a hand up to push his away and finally managed to look away from his eyes. "What's gotten into you? First you act mute and now you look like you haven't seen me in months."

"It feels that way." He sighed. "I…I didn't say anything because I was worried about what I would say." She tilted her head in question. "You knew you had to return here and that I had to stay but you stuck to it, for your family. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to let you go if I said anything, so I kept quiet. I didn't say goodbye to you directly because I was afraid I wouldn't let you leave. I wasn't going to be selfish…I wasn't going to keep you from your family."

"Still," Karin pouted, "even though I know you tend to say stuff without going through a filter first, you still could have said something." Then she smirked. "Push comes to shove I could have just used a Kido Bind on you, I'm better at those than Ichi is."

"Now who's an ass?" Toshiro smirked as well and she laughed.

His other arm went around her waist and pulled her closer, lips touching hers to silence her quickly and satisfy his need for her kiss. His apology paid in full he broke away and looked down at her, no ice barriers around his feelings, his love for her plain to see. Despite herself, Karin giggled.

"So how long is the Soul Prince staying this time?" She said in an alluring tone, arms moving up around his neck as he became her support off her injured leg.

"The Soul Prince is gone." Toshiro's smile faded a bit. She felt his right hand move from her waist and then saw it held before her. "As of last night, I'm king."

"Oh!" She looked excited for him before remembering what such a promotion entailed. "Oh…then…your dad…"

"He's gone." His eyes closed for a moment as the memory rose unbidden.

"I'm sorry…"

The thought of death seemed to remind the young king of something and he looked Karin in the eyes once more.

"I was told there were casualties…who all was lost?"

Biting her lip, the Substitute was hesitant to answer him, especially after learning about his father's death. But she owed him the truth, and though painful that was what he would get.

"A lot of seated officers were killed, mostly the lower ones, though a few of the stronger ones were lost, too." She motioned over to a nearby bench. Getting the message he helped walk her over to it and they sat down together. "In the first raid, Nightstalker managed to kill Lieutenant Iba Tetsuzaemon. Blodga…ugh, I can't say that name…Star also killed Lieutenant Marechiyo Omaeda."

"Two Lieutenants and many seated officers." Toshiro sighed. "And the Solar Five Sisters haven't even shown themselves in months."

"There's…one more, Toshiro."

He stiffened at her tone, knowing whoever it was would be someone he knew all too well. Dread filled his heart even before she spoke the name.

"In the second raid, when Nightstalker surprised us…we really weren't prepared." She bit her lip. "Captain Ukitake was sick but he tried to fight…and he…he was killed."

Karin heard him intake sharply and was quick to put her arms around him in comfort. In her grasp he shook, unprepared for such a close loss so soon after the loss of his father. But at the same time he'd almost expected it, knowing the man's illness would one day be his death in battle, yet after so many years of roughing through it such a death seemed nearly impossible.

"I'm sorry; there was nothing we could do." Karin's voice brought him from his thoughts. "I was in Squad Four with Yuzu, I wasn't there to see it."

"It's fine." He grasped one of her hands in his. "These things…they're bound to happen…I knew we would lose people…"

"But Toshiro…"

He shook his head, white locks falling in front of his eyes.

"Though I hate to say it I can't let every death get to me…" He turned to look at her. "He at least got a decent burial, yes?"

She nodded with a smile. It was clear that made him feel better.

"Good, he deserves it. I won't be the only one missing him…I'll be back later, I need to speak to my guards." He stood carefully to avoid hitting her leg.

"It's good to see you again." She grinned.

Having been about to leave, he paused and looked down at her sitting there with a smile. Then, he leaned down and kissed her again, heart racing as he did so.

"I love you." He whispered, standing straight once more.

"Love you too, Ice King." She snickered and was rewarded with a laugh.

"I promise you, I will protect this realm from the demons."

No words were needed, just a big grin and a nod to show she trusted him to act on that promise, to stand proud before his people and defeat the shadows inching towards them. Nothing could stop them now but death, and that was almost a welcome to the warriors, a friend they knew well. They'd almost all of them met the beyond several times where death awaited them, only to send them back, their mission not over. They had a war to fight, spirits against demons, light against dark. The fate of the worlds rested in the hands of those who were willing to brace their lives on a gamble. So would chaos or peace win over?

And at the center of it all, the two beings of separate realms held themselves together. A King of Ice and a Lady of Fire. Behind them the Reapers, the dragons, the powerful entities of nature. Against them, all the forces of Fear. It was a battle that could not be lost.

And so the Prince takes his place as King.

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**The End! Sort of... There will be an Epilogue posted soon and after that a Q and A kind of thing, i'll explain later.**

**So Karin is able to put him in a better mood ^^(I'm so sorry to everyone who I made cry, i'm so sorry) But there are still casualties. IT's not a good story without some deaths T^T I will be killing off characters...sorry...**

**BUT, Toshiro will be a frequent visitor to Soul Society to help fight, and for Karin, so way more fighting and action and stuff in Soul King. Yay! Enjoy!**


	66. Epilogue: Shadows Yet Have Power

Darkness. A thick black shroud around them, marred only by a hellish crimson light. Light of a blood moon shone through windows without glass, black thorns curling up the walls. Illuminated in this blood light was a silver-haired figure, black streaked though it, amber gaze turned a hungry orange. Pale skin seemed to glow in the darkness.

"Haven't we waited long enough?" A female with a Transylvanian accent snarled off to the side, shrouded in darkness save for the glow of her blood red eyes and the glint of crimson light on her blade. "Firiat and Luetha had all the fun with the Fire Princess; can't I have a go at the Ice Prince?"

"Oh he's not a prince anymore." The silver-haired man grinned ever so slightly. "Dear Satoru will be dead by now, and considering our worlds have not crumbled it is safe to assume the boy is now king." He chuckled. "I suppose my plan failed."

"But you always have more." Said the familiar voice of Firiat, blue eyes gold in the red light.

"Of course, my dear." Kamai stepped towards her and ran a hand through the girl's black pigtails as if in affection. She seemed to take it as such and beamed. "We must wait for the right timing, is all."

A piercing screech echoed in the darkness and the two girls shot up, as well as three others. Their master did not flinch, still smiling.

"It seems our Angel has awoken." He stepped back over to his throne of obsidian. "Luetha, my dear, if you could calm her back down."

"Of course." Luetha purred, stepping out of the grand hall to the source of the frustrated screaming.

"Hmph," The red-eyed girl scoffed, "for the one who created Fear this Angel of Death sure is weak."

"She is by no means weak, Lyrah." Kamai warned. "I'm sure in her own time she may even strike against us. But for now I hold the cards, and so she remains obedient."

His gaze turned to the final being in the large room they stood in, a snowball moving between her hands before it rolled outwards, a large canine leaping from the shadows and landing on it. The young girl laughed at her pet's game.

"Child." Kamai spoke very softly, as if worried he would spook her.

Eyes of deadened white looked up in his direction, unable to see him.

"As promised, you will see your family soon." The Demon Lord spoke kindly to the girl, smiling as she beamed up at him happily, excited by his words.

He reached out as he had for Firiat and grabbed hold of the girl's long hair, the locks soft in his hands. Black as his heart was the man knew beauty when he saw it and could still be a perfect gentleman when needed. The light caught the hair in his hands, revealing the color, or rather, the lack of. For her hair was white as snow.

"You have not seen anything yet, Ice King." The harsh whisper was heard only by himself, a cruel smile playing on his lips. What the girl did not know would not hurt her…not yet.

The darkness still had plenty aces left to play.

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**Ooh, what does the Dark Master have planned? Enjoy!**

** And so finishes the tale of the Soul Prince ^^ Questions? Concerns? Review and I shall answer to my best ability! Thank all of you so much for reading! I love all of you! You especially reviewers! I enjoyed writing this story so much with all your kind comments(some not so kind but interesting anyway) I shall answer any and all questions on a Q and A session at the end. Again, thank you!**


	67. Soul King Q & A

Yo! ElementalLCie here! (I've noticed some of ya'll call me Cie for short ^^) Anyway, I'm very grateful to everyone who read and reviewed this story, I love all of you and you should all congratulate yourself for being awesome!(and for having the patience to sit and read over sixty chapters).

Now, here's the serious part. Soul King will be up once I have it started and feel comfortable that it will keep going. That latter part is kinda already accomplished...anyway, down to business. On this page, which I will update every once in a while, I will have questions from ya'll that I will be answering to my best ability. It's good to ask questions, It helps me develop, and it lets ya'll have a hand in how this goes a bit ^^ Kind of a reward for sticking by! If you have specific ideas you'd like me to consider, PM me instead, because if I like it I don't want to let everybody else see for spoiler purposes ^^

After that will be questions and ideas i'll be throwing at ya'll to see what you think. So...read on! I will edit this in a few hours once the questions and stuff start coming in. My answers for ya'll will be the first section, while my questions for ya'll will be the last. My answers/questions/comments will be normal, stuff from ya'll will be _italicized_. Thank you for reading!

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**Questions from Readers, Answered by Cie**

_Who is the little girl in the epilogue?_

Well, you'll have to find out ^^

_Where did you get the idea for this story and where should I travel to to find it?_

Ziya Hitsugaya gave me the idea and I ran with it, haha. Now it's one of my most popular stories! Thanks Ziya!

_How could you kill off Ukitake?!_

I'm so sorry! But, I mean, he's sick, and the demon's Fear would take major advantage of that...and demons are very instinctual, kill off the young and sick. Plus, it's someone Shiro knows well. Everyone close to Shiro is being targeted.

_Does every dragon have to have a partner or do some never have one?_

Most dragons are wild and don't much care for people, but for every dragon there is a human/Soul Reaper that matches them, but not vice versa because there aren't many dragons and not everyone can have one. Some dragons do live their lives without finding their partners but that's not their fault. It used to be every dragon looked for their partner, just sometimes couldn't find them. When humans chased them out it became that dragons hate people and never look for partners. Toshiro will be changing all that ;)

_Do the dragons have to be the same age as their partners?_

Dragons are like elves. They mature quickly, but live for a really, really long time. That's why even though Myndrael is thirty or so in this story, he's pretty smart and powerful. Dragons are considered adults by the age of fifty, as they've had time to fully explore and gain maturity. Obviously Shiro is older than that, but as a Reaper things work differently for him than dragons. He and Myndrael are considered adults once he becomes Soul King because they are now ruling over them. That also means dragons can attack them without retaliation from other dragons for attacking a dragonling.

But that's not what the question's asking. Sorry. No, dragons do not have to be the same age as their partners. Ichigo's will be much older than him, and not just because Ichigo is a human(well, now he's a Soul Reaper). Yamamoto's will be pretty old, but not ancient. It was never mentioned, but if a dragon reaches the age of Elder without finding their partner, they are said to never find them and lose the chance of connecting, meaning they can't bond with their partners even if they find them. It used to be horrible, but now it's common. Humans screw things up.

_What about Toshiro's Granny?_

My goodness I forgot about her O.o I'll try to mention her in Soul King. The demons would go after her considering she raised Shiro, but they're ignoring the Rukongai for the most part. I actually think Kamai overlooked her on purpose, perhaps he underestimates her connections to Toshiro.

_How about someone from America who doesn't have powers, but makes weapons that can help them fight on even terms? I expect a bunch of SciFi weapons for them, plasma, gauss, power armor, giant mecha of various sizes, etc._

I dunno, that's pretty far off from Bleach kind of fighting. The first part i'd be okay with, but as for what kind of weapons, I don't think all that Halo and Evangelion stuff would be good for Soul Society(If you don't know either of those i'm sorry). Plus, modern day humans haven't made that stuff yet in the Bleach world, so I don't think the dead would either, or at least not that advanced. This is a risky topic, i'm not sure about how to reply to this.

_When is Soul King coming out?_

Goodness, guys, I gotta plan it first! I'm still working out a few kinks and checking back through Soul Prince so there's not too many plot holes and the like. Can't have things contradicting. ^^ Also i'm giving people time to comment here so i can make the story better! Anyway, i'm working on the first few chapters right now. Once I get a good ways into it and feel confident that I won't quit on it despite pressure of school and other stories i'll start posting. That could be anywhere from next month to the start of 2014. Be patient! It will come! (To give you a status report I've got a prologue and two or three chapters. I still go back through and reread it since I don't have a Beta and stuff to make sure it's good. Give me some space and it'll be out before ya know it!)

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**Cie's Questions and Ideas for You to Consider**

Okay so the dragons will be interacting more with the Soul Society, which means more people will have dragons. I have a few in mind who I definitely WANT to have with dragon partners but is there anybody you guys would like to see with a dragon? And if so, what kind of elements? If I like it, you get to name it!(If needed i'll post the elements)

Here's who I want and ya'll's thoughts on them:

Toshiro(already got his)

Karin(same as Shiro)

Ichigo - Main-Dark, Secondary-Lunar

Head Captain - Main-Fire(duh, haha)

Kadin - Main-Dark(Anybody remember Shadow from the brief mentionings in the story?)

Hm, I have a few others I like. Here:

Unohana - Main-Flora, Secondary-Water

Renji - Main-Fire, Secondary-Lightning

Kenpachi - Main-Lightning

Ikkaku - Main-Wind, Secondary-Earth

Rukia - Main-Ice, Secondary-Lunar

Rangiku - Main-Wind, Secondary-Gravity

Here's what ya'll wanted and my thoughts on them:

_Byakuya - Wind_ (Hm, I like. I actually thought about giving him one. I might give it secondary Lightning element since Byakuya's one of the best at Flash Step, one of.)

I've got some ideas on who i'm going to kill off (sorry!) But would there be anyone you would suggest?

_Momo_(Eh...I had plans for her, as somewhere in the story she's mentioned by the Solar Five Sister that Kamai had a plan for her, but I don't think it involved her death. It would be pretty devastating for Shiro considering she's his 'sister'(yeah, I don't see her and Shiro together either, guys, but I don't exactly despise her))

_Orihime_(notice I didn't put her and the others in until later. I always forget about them. I don't know if i'll kill them off...I actually think Orihime's powers would be a blessing against the demons...which would make her a prime target, so I could kill her off...maybe)

Following up on the last question, anybody want cameos? With people dying off they gotta fill up space and I might actually have Shiro send in royals or warriors from his realm, so feel free to stick in your OC's! ^^

_A character as Toshiro's sister_(I'll keep you anonymous ^^ Anyway, can't really do that, but I can still give her a cameo!)

I had some trouble deciding whether or not to put more romance, and now that Karin and Shiro are together, should I stick more to the action that will ultimately control the entire story anyway or add more romance in? There will be romance, trust me, but again i'm thinking of playing it down in favor of lots of fighting.

_More Romance!_ (Well alright then)

_Put as much emphasis on the romance as the action, since Karin is being targeted and we want to see the growth in their relationship._ (True, very true. That's two for more romance, haha)

So, three new people got Bankais; Rangiku, Shuhei and Rukia. I honestly have no idea what their Bankais could be, but I wanted them to get Bankai. Little help?

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That's all for now! As ya'll send in questions I might add more for my sake. Remember, this helps me a lot, both story making wise and just so you enjoy it more! Have fun!


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